DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-094, August 28, 2008 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2008 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1423 Wed 2100 WBCQ 15420-CUSB [but see USA: WBCQ] Thu 0530 WRMI 9955 Thu 1430 WRMI 9955 Thu 2330 WBCQ 7415 Fri 0100 WRMI 9955 Fri 0800 WRMI 9955 Fri 1930 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 7290 Fri 2030 WWCR1 15825 Sat 0800 WRMI 9955 Sat 1630 WWCR3 12160 Sat 2000 WRMI 9955 [new] Sun 0230 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0800 WRMI 9955 Sun 1515 WRMI 9955 Sun 2030 WRMI 9955 [new] Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 Tue 1530 WRMI 9955 Wed 0530 WRMI 9955 Wed 1130 WRMI 9955 Latest edition of this schedule version, including AM, FM, satellite and webcasts with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS VIA WRN NOW AVAILABLE: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/podcast.php OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org EDITOR`S NOTE: You may notice that it has been 11 days since the last issue, 8-093 dated August 17. Thanks to those who expressed concern about what happened. We were just on vacation for a week, and since returning have been faced with the inevitable huge pileup of info needing to be processed. So far we have gone thru e-mail August 25 to present, and selectively before that, so this issue includes both recent info, and some info from the day or so after the last issue, and less in between, which we hope to work into future issues. DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD, which seems to be coming out less frequently? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg without delay. When applying, please identify yourself with your real name and location. Those who do not, unless I recognize them, will be prompted once to do so and no action will be taken otherwise. Here`s where to sign up http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** ABKHAZIA. 9494.76, 0415-0505 fade out, GEORGIA, 16.08. Abkaz State R, Soxum, Russian. R Rossii relay with news read by man and woman, folksongs 25332 (ANKER PETERSEN, SKOVLUNDE, DINAMARCA, AOR AR7030PLUS, LONGWIRE 28 METROS, @tividade DX via DXLD) 9494.76, 0445-0520 25.08, Abkhaz State R, Soxum (presumed) Abkhaz talk, orchestra music and songs, 23312. Deep fades. Not // R Rossii 171 LW. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) N.B. Quite regardless of the merits of the Russian/Georgian fight over Abkhazia, and whether anyone recognizes it as ``independent``, we have long granted it `radio-country` status for purely hobby reasons as the more splintering radio countries, the better. Now, if only S Ossetia also had some SWBC transmitter (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTARCTICA. 15476, LRA36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Esperanza Antarctic Base, 1935-1945, August 18, Spanish, Argentinean folk music, many identifications as: “Esta es LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, desde la Base Antártica Esperanza, Territorio Antártico Argentino….”, 24332 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) LRA36, Arcángel, 15476.030 kHz. Ligt waar tenemen. Daar Afrika N 1 op 15475 niet aanwezig is. Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, 1845 UT Aug 25, bdx mailing list via DXLD) LRA36, Arcángel, 15476.02, 1900 26/8. With Spanish talks by male, and nice music. Signal not so strong but audio clean. Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LRA36, 15476.030, 1902 UT 27/8. Weer tamelijk goed tenemen met ID in het Spaans door man, nieuws over Argentie door vrouw. Gevolgd door Spaanse muziek, ruis aanwezig. Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, bdx mailing list via DXLD) LRA36, Arcángel, 15476.020, 1913 UT 28/8 .Fair signal, program Spanish music with accordion. More noisy than yesterday. Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. Gente, según informa el amigazo Gabriel Iván Barrera, RAE-Radiodifusión Argentina al Exterior, está fuera del aire en las ondas cortas. Puede escucharse por Internet. 73 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Aug 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks Arnaldo, here the item from Austrian A-DX: Since Monday Aug 25th RAE is OFF on shortwave, only on Internet stream at present. RAE Buenos Aires - Kurzwellensender defekt. Laut Rayen Braun sind die Kurzwellensender von RAE defekt. Wurde heute im deutschsprachigem Programm gesagt. Wortlaut: "hierzu muss ich sagen, dass unsere Sendeanlagen fuer die Kurzwelle im Moment sozusagen ausser Betrieb sind, infolge von technischen Problemen. Wir wissen alle, diese Sendeanlagen sind aeusserst alt, irgend etwas ist kaputt gegangen und es ist im Moment sehr schwer, die Ersatzteile zu bekommen oder zu teuer oder so etwas". (via Christian Milling, Germany, A-DX Aug 25 via Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DXLD) With RAE off SW, can we now count LRA36 as Argentina??? (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Hi all, A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that Radio Austria would end English by the end of the year. I received a QSL and letter today from Radio Austria; they do mention that English would end by the end of the year and that my comments about this would be sent to the English service. They also hope I will be listening to the broadcast until the end of the year. No mention if this decision can be changed, but it does confirm what I have heard. I hope we can have an impact by sending our support to Radio Austria English service (Gilles Létourneau, Montréal, Canada, Aug 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BANGLADESH. 4750.00, 1635-1705 20.08, Bangladesh Betar, Khabirpur, Dhaka. Bengali drama, 1648 and 1700 ID: "Bangladesh Betar", folksong, 1700 flute music, 6 time pips, Muslim greeting and news about Bangladesh, 35333 (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) and then UGANDA, q.v. 4750, Bangladesh Betar, 1237-1355, Aug 25, news in English (mostly items about India and Pakistan), news continued but switched to vernacular, at end of the news "sunrise will be at 5:38", subcontinent music and songs, mentioned "International Symposium on Climate Change and Food Security in South Asia … August 25" (symposium started in Dhaka today: http://www.wmo.ch/pages/prog/wcp/agm/meetings/rsama08/index_en.html started out poor with heavy QRM (CNR-1 & RRI), but by 1335 was fair and well above the other stations, with a decent signal. Audio clip posted to DXLD yg files section: "Station Sounds" (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4750, Bangladesh Betar, 1309-1335, Aug 28, in vernacular, subcontinent music and songs, child with ad along with singing jingle, several "Bangladesh Betar" IDs, very light QRM, cannot imagine my getting much better reception than this. Audio clip posted to DXLD yg files section: "Station Sounds" (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BENIN. 1566, 0444- Aug 21, TWR. Strongest (and one of a very few) TA hets tonight. Possible snippets of audio, but mostly at a '4 to 5' level. Can only be Benin. Also noted a weak het on 1575, presumably Spain). (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BHUTAN. 6035, 1444- Aug 20, Radio Bhutan. Fairly good reception with a call-in show hosted by a YL. Would be nice except for serious splatter from 6030. In English. 6035, 1444- Aug 27, Bhutan Broadcasting Service. Excellent reception except for some adjacent splatter. Lovely clean audio with a call-in show. The woman announcer reminds me a lot of Myra Oh, the RNZI co- host of their Mailbox program. Most callers are young people, and some dating advice was dispensed! I can also hear a co-channel weakly underneath. Callers were from a girl's school. 'Five minutes left' at 1455. Faded a bit by the TOH, but with less adjacent splatter. Left the air at 1501 and carrier cut about 15 to 20 seconds later (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6035, BBS, 1401-1501*, Aug 27, in English, starts with their usual signature music, "Here is the news from the Bhutan Broadcasting Service", man and woman present the news, "You are listening to the news from the Bhutan Broadcasting Service", "Now for the announcements" (public service announcements), followed by woman with a phone-in program for dedications of pop songs, but actually mostly just phone calls and very few songs, one caller was from Australia, indigenous instrumental music before sign-off, after 1430 the reception was the best (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Me too. Aug 27 around 1425 was listening to this BBS phone-in show on 6035. Mostly calls, some tunes, one reggae song and M2M with "Pretty Boy". Armchair levels on mostly clear channel. Also Myanmar 5985 with good signal at around 1515 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, ibid.) ** BOLIVIA. Back to 4111: R. Virgen de Remedios, Tupiza. August 22, Spanish, 2220 seems relaying news program Bolivia en Contacto "en Oruro surge propuesta de autonomía", 2300-2307 religious choir music, religious ceremony "por la memoria de Santa María" alternating music and religious talks. Checked at 0019 "hablemos de los Chichas" interesting program with music and about Chicha history and culture, many mentions about R. Virgen de Remedios, "no tenemos publicidad". Weak but readable, 23332 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4111, R. Virgen de Remedios, Tupiza. August 25, Spanish, 2226-2235. News program "Bolivia en Contacto" with many outside talks. Almost unreadable, 23332 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 4409.83, 0120-0220 15.08, R Eco, Reyes (0.5 kW) Spanish announcer/announcement and songs, 35333. Strongest LA-station after R Rebelde (50 kW)! Strange! Also heard fading in at 2245-2255 16.08 Spanish talk 25322, AP-DNK 4781.58, 0130-0145 15.08, R Tacana, Tumupasa (presumed) Spanish talk, songs 25222 (ANKER PETERSEN, SKOVLUNDE, DINAMARCA, AOR AR7030PLUS, LONGWIRE 28 METROS, @tividade DX via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 4796, R. Mallku, Uyuni. August 27, Spanish, 2224-2250 seems a news commentary program with some outside talks, 2230 canned announcements with much voice reverb effect, maybe ads. Despite the S=3 signal level, was hard to comprehend details principally by 4800 Chinese QRM, 32433 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA [and non]. 6080.47 [NOT: see below], Radio San Gabriel, 0945-1015 Aug 26, With continuous mixing with HCJB, noted San Gabriel with plenty of canned promos and ID's. Even so, very difficult to pin them down because of fading in and out with the stronger HCJB. The signal from Gabriel was poor to threshold. The frequency of 6080.47 is not the exact frequency that Gabriel is using, but it is the best heard frequency. Gabriel is actually on 6080 kHz and with the mixing of HCJB, tuning up slightly gives better results (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Chuck, So are you saying the carrier frequency of both stations is 6080.00? Does it make an audible or subaudible het with HCJB? It`s the carrier frequency which counts, altho useful to know if side-tuning helps. Tuning 470 Hz high perhaps helped because of the audio frequencies the two were employing at the time? Bernardini reports: 6079.94 BOLIVIA R San Gabriel, La Paz SS & Aymara d 08 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Glenn, Both stations were on 6080 (exactly) as far as I could tell. They are both very weak and neither one is prominent. So to copy Gabriel, I "detuned" if that is the correct word, to hear Gabriel better to the freq of 6080.47. And as I stated above, Gabriel was actually on 6080. By the way, I was listening in the AM/ECSS mode with the NRD545. If in USB, I can hear both carriers on 6080. Maybe one is lower than the other or slightly off frequency, but because of the weak signals I can't tell, since/when in USB the signal disappears quickly because of its threshold strength? As you may or may not know, you can do different "goofy" things with the NRD545 to help pull a signal out of the "mud". So being in the AM mode as stated above, there is a lot of leeway in tuning around the signal to hear it better (Chuck Bolland, ibid.) ** BOLIVIA. I recently heard a Spanish language station on 920 kHz. The clip has an ID and the FM frequency (95.9) is mentioned as well. There seems to be an address in Santa Clara, but I can't match it to stations listed on the frequency (Jan Alvestad, Aug 27, RealDX yg via DXLD) Jan, It seems to be Radio Encuentro from Bolivia. The ID is at the very beginning, the address "Calle Loa 41" is heard at 23s and their telephone number (64 41 300) is given commencing at 28s and the word "Bolivia" follows. I'm jealous. http://www.encuentroradio.com/contactos/ shows 95.9 FM frequency too. [later:] A little more information has emerged. The station’s slogan “La radio que te escucha” is heard at 8s. Immediately following this might be “transmite del Centro Juana Azurduy”. I’ve also worked out more words after the address at 23s. “Calle Loa 41. Casilla 799. Teléfono 64 41 300”. Casilla 799 matches the Centro Juana Azurduy address, and in turn the Centro Juana Azurduy is the instigator of the station as can be seen on the station’s web site. I think that’s as much as I can do. I feel sure that the Swedish jury can shed more light and probably complete the picture for us. 73 (Andrew Brade, UK, ibid.) Nothing much to add from here. Andrew has done an excellent job. And congrats to Jan. An interesting catch it is! (Henrik Klemetz, ibid.) Thanks Andrew, for your excellent help on this station. It's been years since I heard Bolivia on MW (Jan Alvestad, Scandinavia, ibid.) ** BRAZIL. 6185, Radio Nacional da Amazonia, Manaus, AM, 1032-1040, August 23, Portuguese, program: “Coisas do Brasil”: music and talks by female, 33433. New frequency: ex 6180, ex 6188v kHz (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Rádio Cultura de São Paulo em 9410 kHz Olá pessoal, Desde o dia 23/08 estou sintonizando em 9410 kHz a Rádio Cultura de São Paulo com um sinal forte e áudio com distorção. Solicitei ao Deniz Zoqbi uma explicação técnica para o que vem acontecendo com a Guarujá de Florianópolis, Globo do Rio e agora a Cultura de São Paulo. O Denis confirmou a sintonia em 9410 da Cultura e esclareceu que em todos os casos o que está acontecendo mesmo é a falta de manutenção dos equipamentos, apesar da coincidência de tantos. Bom, ontem enviei um e-mail para a Globo do Rio informando a emissão espúria e solicitando uma resposta do que estava acontecendo. A resposta escrita não veio e coincidência ou não, hoje, depois de tantos dias, a emissão espúria da Globo em +/- 11935 kHz não mais foi sintonizada. Também hoje pela manhã não sintonizei em +/- 5750 kHz a Guarujá de Florianópolis. Essas emissões causam interferências em outras emissoras, no meu caso aqui em Feira de Santana o sinal da Globo em 11735 estava interferindo no da Bandeirantes, que aliás ontem não a consegui sintonizá-la em 25 metros, mas hoje esta com sinal forte e limpo. 73s (Jorge Freitas, SWL1023B, Skype jorge.freitas.fsa Feira de Santana, Bahia, 12º 15' 1.57" S 38º 58' 40.30" W; Degen 1103, Antena Long Wire 10 m direcionada NE/SO0, Aug 25, dxclube pr via WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DXLD) ** BURKINA FASO. 5030, Radio Burkina, 2345-0002*, Aug 21-22, French talk. Sign off with National Anthem at 0000. Weak. Poor with splatter from Cuba 5025 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Re: ``It`s understandable that a network made up of both radio and TV would have some cross-promotion, but lately I am noticing a lot of promotion for CBC TV shows on CBC Radio (not just Olympic stuff). Such as just before news on the hour. I can`t help but wonder if CBC Radio gets as much promotion on CBC TV! Or is CBC trying to drive its radio audience to TV? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, almost as much, but in 10 second TV ads. For example a standing advert on The National tv news at 11:57 just before weather, has been an advert for the next day's Current. Other network radio shows get a few seconds with logos over the day. However the CBC radio listeners hate the TV adverts which are for the more populist TV fare. The afternoon or noon shows promote the local 6 PM TV newscast with a walk-on, or highlights. Now we have the reviled Jian Ghomeshi taking his Q arts programme to the morning radio in place of Sounds like Canada, and also 2 hours of in studio TV for the digital network CBC Bold (formerly Country Canada (Dan Say, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. According to http://www.cjlo.com/ 1690 kHz in Montreal has begun its official testing period. More details on the station's AM blog. 73, (Ricky Leong, Calgary, Aug 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CJLO 1690 --- They went on the air around 11 am [1500 UT] Tuesday Aug 26th. I was able to pull it in here in Ottawa with a variable signal. The conditions for AM were odd all day, with many stations fading in and out that are usually steady. CJLO's signal was fairly decent. Nighttime was interesting, as they'd either be very strong as a local or they'd disappear under CHLO [sic] Toronto. For now they're playing big band and easy listening music with an ID between each song. One ID in French then the next in English. The Big Band/easy listening music is for the engineer to fine tune the transmitter; in a few days they'll be broadcasting a loop of the kind of music they'll normally be playing (alternative rock, punk, metal and some other genres) so they can due a little extra fine tuning. I think I may be the first to log them outside of Montreal, as I logged them before 1 pm (J. Nielsen, Ottawa Canada, Aug 26, ABDX via DXLD) Yesterday was a day I had off due to it being my birthday, and what better way to start the day with some daytime DX. As usual here in Ottawa, I start with the top of the dial as it's pretty empty of local signals after 1310. I land on 1690 and hear nothing. I thought it must just have faded out for a bit so I tune down to 1650 CJRS, it's in. So is CJWI 1610 and CJAV 1570. So back up to 1690 and nothing. I sit on it for probably half an hour, give up thinking it was off. Which it was. Apparently the transmitter is not on for very much right now. Today I didn't hear a peep out of it until 2:38, it was on for a few minutes then off again. In the late after noon it'd be on for a few seconds then off. for a few more then back on again. Their "march to AM" blog mentions that they may be going off for some fine tuning or technical issues. I think something's blown. Why else would it be off more than on? Most of the time it was a dead carrier; if it stayed on for more than 20 seconds then an ID would pop up and some music would start. It's off right now, so trying to log it might not be worth anyone's time for the next few days. Apparently someone did log it 500 km away in the daytime from Gasport NY (J. Nielsen, Ottawa Canada, Aug 28, ABDX via DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. Virgin Radio comes to Toronto --- CKFM-99.9 (a.k.a. Mix 99.9) have re-launched as Virgin Radio, using the same logo as the UK station on 1215 with numerous synchros. http://www.virginradio999.com/ (Mike Brooker, Ont, NRC-AM via DXLD) Though, ironically enough, the Virgin brand in the UK will be going away any day now; those stations (1215 nationally, 105.8 in London, and on digital) have been sold and the licensing agreement for the name didn't transfer. CKFM's relaunch included a list of the other countries where Virgin Radio is heard, and the UK was very noticeably absent... s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) ** CANADA. Re CFUN 1410 Vancouver changing transmitter site: There seems to be a lot of misinformation about the new CFUN transmitter site and the new proposed coverage. I would like to take the opportunity to set straight the record. A few years ago, the company looked at what to do with the present transmitter site. The site was built in the early 60’s, but had come to a point in its life where almost all of the facilities (towers, buildings, equipment) needed to be replaced. The cost to do so on the present site would have been astronomical, not to mention the disruption to programming while the rebuilding would have taken place. About this time, the previous owners (CHUM) also purchased CKST. The present CKST site was also in a position where major work was required to bring it up to current standards. Engineering studies were done and found that combining sites was very feasible. A decision was made to purchase new property and combine facilities with state of the art equipment. 47 acres of property was purchased on 104 Street between Hwy 10 and Hwy 99. When a major change in facilities is undertaken a coverage study is always undertaken. Our consultants found that there was an opportunity to improve the night coverage to the Fraser Valley. CFUN always had an excellent signal to Vancouver Island, but it is not in the prime coverage area. The consultants found that the station could become a DA1 (one pattern) by also modifying the day pattern, but the main benefit is the improved night-time coverage to the Valley. The downside is that coverage to the western side of Vancouver Island and Washington State is reduced. These are in areas that we do not sell to. The prime coverage area that covers Metro Vancouver is not drastically affected. The only reason that the CRTC has asked for public comment is that there is a major change in the pattern. The new transmitter site is going to consist of 7 towers which is a reduction of 1 tower from the present total. This reduction was made possible by the elimination of one pattern for CFUN. We decided against common towers for redundancy purposes. The towers are also going to be self support towers instead of guyed towers. This was done to allow for full agricultural production on the site once construction is completed. If guyed towers had been used, 40% of the area would have been lost for farming. With self support towers, only 2% of the area will be lost. The Agricultural Land Commission reviewed the proposal and in a unanimous decision allowed the proposal. CTV has been in constant consultation with Delta Municipality to address any concerns that they may have about the project and is just awaiting their final approval. The site will be state of the art. Every attempt is being made to make the site environmentally friendly. By way of interest, the present CFUN site was built by Gus Sondermeyer when he was with RCA. He is now consulting on the new project and his son Richard is the project manager. I hope that this will lie to rest the misinformation. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. David Youell, Chief Engineer, Vancouver Radio Division CHUM Radio, A Div. of CTV Globemedia Ltd. (604)871-2947 (from http://www.radiowest.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3962 where there is more discussion of this, via Dan Say, BC, DXLD) ** CHINA. With Singapore gone from 6150, Firedrake at 1210 Aug 19 vs Taiwan in Chinese; also FD On 6110 under Chinese, that being VOA Tinian, and per Aoki listings also jamming their own PBS Xizang. And more Firedrake on 6085 intended against Taiwan but over WYFR in Spanish here. Firedrake on 9300, Aug 27 at 1329 during brief ramshorn-like respite from crashing and banging, // 11990 et al. Aoki as of same date shows: 9300*Xi Wang Zhi Sheng SOH 0000-2400 Chinese 1 ND ? TWN 11955E 2610N Which means it is jamming Sound of Hope, presumably 24 hours from 1 kW transmitter somewhere in Taiwan. Well, they seem to have the coordinates if not the name of the SOH site. Out-of-band Firedrake check Aug 28 found it still/again appearing on Sound of Hope channels, 14410 at 1341, and 9300 at 1343, along with many other regulars against RFA, VOA, Taiwan (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 13840, 1135-1225 08.08, Voice of China - CNR 1 Chinese excited live report by a man and a woman from the opening ceremony in Beijing of the Olympic Games and several ID's. In the background loudspeaker with orchestra music. At 1208 the Olympic Rings were lit with big applause, a Chinese song, ann in Chinese and English: "Our National Anthem", "The East is red" by orchestra and choir and more Chinese songs 35343 heard // weaker 12045 and 13610 (ANKER PETERSEN, SKOVLUNDE, DINAMARCA, AOR AR7030PLUS, LONGWIRE 28 METROS, @tividade DX via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. /ALBANIA, Frequency change of China Radio International in French: 1400-1557 NF 13760#CER 150 kW / 240 deg to WeAf, ex 13670 # co-ch Voice of Korea in french to WeEu (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, August 26, via DXLD) ** CHINA. 6185, China Huayi BC, 1150-1200*, Aug 26, in Chinese, ToH 5+1 pips and off. Switched to 4830, with *1202. So with Singapore gone they are clearly heard here now. 4940, Voice of Strait (Channel 1), Fuzhou, they seem to be experimenting with their English IDs. In July I noted 5 or 6 IDs for "This is the Voice of Strait News Radio" at either 1300 (after the pips) or at 1325. Then for most of Aug there have been no English IDs. On Aug 26 at 1259 again heard an English ID. This time it was before the pips and tentatively seemed to just be "This is the Voice of Strait". Still needs more monitoring (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. Radio Kahuzi, Bukavu, 6210 kHz, 1757 UT Aug 25, typical African drum music and vernacular talks; at 1759 incoming splatter from 6205 Teheran. Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, bdx mailing list via WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DXLD) ** CONGO DR [non]. SOUTH AFRICA: 11690, Radio Okapi (Congo); 1636- 1703+, 28-Aug; M in French with passionate speech coverage. ID at 1658, pronounced as O-Kay-Pee; I've heard this in the past as O-Kah- Pee. 1700 drums, bumper, M&W in French and pop tune at 1702. SIO=252 but need USB to kill ute (Harold Frodge, MI, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. RHC has another QRM problem: on 11760, Aug 19 at 0533, Arnie Coro`s ``news`` was mixing with something else, slow SAH. Normally RHC is in the clear, tho signal level varies widely from night to night on this band. Per Aoki it could be CNR1; or NHK in Russian. Likely the latter, as NHK Russian was one of the few other signals on the band on 11715, and that one is reliably and remarkably good here as it is aimed toward DVR and thence NAm, unlike 11760. Next time I must try to // them. WRMI, 9955, fading in at 1148 Tue Aug 19 during Wavescan, no jamming. But at 1153 the pulse jamming started, prior to 2-hour Radio Cuba Libre transmission daily at 12-14. RHC`s big signal to NAm on 15370, missing Aug 27 at 1318 check, barely audible on new // 15360 to SAm, and well audible on new // 15120. Aug 28 at 0551 check, nothing but heavy jamming audible on 9955, during the scheduled 0530 UT Thu broadcast of WORLD OF RADIO on WRMI. What an advantage Our Friend in Habana, Arnie has in being able to jam the competition or anyone who dares to disagree with him! Also noticed 7405 jamming against R. Martí, Aug 28 at 1312 was extending from 7395 to 7415. Remarkably, for being only 10 kHz away, WBCQ 7415 normally has no problem from the DentroCuban Jamming Command, but it would have if it were on at this hour, as it is permitted to be and occasionally has been with Brother Scare. RHC check Aug 28: at 0549, noticed that both 6000 and 6140 in English were undermodulated and with hum; apparently a studio or feed link problem. Wiggle that patchcord! Roughly the same situation on 6000 at 1303, when they were promoting the evening`s Mesa Redonda at 2230 on 6000 and 9820, the subject of which would be the Democratic National Convention. What do the Cuban Commies know about democracy, and how can they cover it with a straight face? Might be an interesting take on the event. Propagation was strange on 19m, with several good signals from Ascension to Turkey but RHC just barely audible on 15370 at 1339 Aug 28, much weaker than // 13680. WYFR 15130 was also weak. But 15370 slowly built up and by 1352 was of fair strength; however, transmitter cut off the air several times uncovering a weaker co-channel. 13680 was also intermittent, and weak 13760 I noticed was echoing with the other channels when they were on. I was making a point of checking the 1400v frequency announcement again some weeks after the new channels 15360 and 15120 replaced 9550 and 11805. This time it was read live by the staccato M announcer, and was exactly the same as previously quoted, still giving the old and not new frequencies, and failing to make clear that 6000 goes off at 1400. Such esoteric matters as frequencies axually in use take a long time to filter down from the engineering department to the announcing department. Of course, if the announcers had any initiative, they would find out for themselves the correct info, or axually turn on a radio and monitor their own station! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Jamming from Cuba --- HCDX will publish anything from Arnie Coro (free speech in most countries), yet the Cuban stations continue to jam stations that offer any type of criticism against the government of Cuba. And yet Arnie continues to post negative things about Glenn Hauser, who has done more for the hobby of DX-listening and SW-listening and the free exchange of ideas than Sr. Coro, because the Cuban gov't does not respect independent thought. I would argue that there is no place on HCDX for a person who works for a broadcaster that jams foreign broadcasts and tries to stop anything that does not agree with the Cuban government on a forum that promotes the free thoughts and input of everyone, regardless of the type of government that the country that they live in has, and only supports the party line of his government and won't offer anything related to our hobby unless it agrees with that party line. I do not listen to the station of any government that jams broadcasts directed to that country, as the government of Cuba does so only with more vigor than that of the P.R. China, which is why I would never ever listen to Arnie's closed station. Stop the jamming, Arnie, and maybe someone would take you and your government seriously if you open up to ideas that are different from your dedicated propaganda. Until then, do not bother posting anything on any independent forum, for I will not take the time to pay any attention to them, and I believe the overwhelming majority of SWL's believe absolutely the same. Why should we listen to anything you or the output of Radio Habana Cuba have to say, when your government does anything it can to prevent any differing opinions to be broadcast to your country? Jamming is the only reason no one needs to take you seriously. Do not criticize anyone else until the jamming stops, Sr. Coro. You need to take a long look in the mirror before you criticize Mr Hauser. You only say what your government allows you to say, yet Mr. Hauser will say whatever he wants about any country, including the one he lives in, which could never happen under your close-minded friends, Sr. Coro. Stop the jamming, Sr. Coro, or do not bother contributing to any forum outside of your closed country (Alex Vranes, Jr., WV, Aug 17, HCDX via DXLD) Alex, I appreciate the support! Yet, our openness to freedom of expression must include Sr Coro, even tho not reciprocated. Is it our weakness, or is it our strength? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** CUBA. Note that the current schedule lists airborne TV only (no longer 530 kHz), which would match not hearing it for a very long time from my site. The airborne 530 channel used to be on this grid. http://www.martinoticias.com/frequencies.htm (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, Aug 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) FWIW, I checked both 530 and 1180 at various intervals last evening until about 0500 UTC and could detect no hets against those channels, so either the signals Terry Krueger heard were not on last night or are not sufficiently strong to produce hets at this distance from Cuba. I was semi-hoping for the return of "The Het" on 1181 that gave me hours of enjoyable listening last year! (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1422, DXLD) Just Wondering --- How do we know these Cuban wobblers are not some sort of Cuban IBOC system? Seriously, I wonder how many casual Cuban DX'ers have heard IBOC sidebands from Florida and wondered "just what the hell is that? Some form of US jamming?" We are able to freely exchange information, but if you had no knowledge of IBOC, and came across the sideband noise what would you think it was? (Brock Whaley, HI, For DX Florida, NRC, DXLD, Aug 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. At the moment that you are hearing this program radio amateur operators in four Caribbean nations are already providing emergency communications as Hurricane Gustav, the seventh storm of this season is moving towards Haiti and Cuba. Amateurs in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica Cuba with the help of operators in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and the United States will be handling any emergency related traffic, and also providing the national weather services with the most up to date data registered at their locations. Cuban amateurs in particular have already deployed portable stations at several remote locations in the mountains of eastern Cuba, where past experience has shown that rivers overflowing their banks due to the heavy rains that accompany tropical storms and hurricanes. You can pick up hurricane related amateur radio communications on the 20, 40 and 80 meter bands. The Cuban emergency nets operate on 7045, 7060 to coordinate with Mexico, 7080 and 7110 on 40 meters and at night stations operate on 3740 kiloHertz on the 80 meters band. The Hurricane Net frequency on 20 meters is 14325, and it is active whenever a tropical storm or hurricane is near land (Prof. Arnaldo Coro Antich, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Aug 26, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. GOBIERNO INAUGURARÁ MAÑANA RADIO PÚBLICA http://www.elcomercio.com/noticiaEC.asp?id_noticia=217110&id_seccion=3 10:38 | Ecuador inaugurará mañana su radio pública en un acto especial en la Plaza de la Independencia, en el centro histórico de Quito, con la presencia del jefe de Estado, Rafael Correa, informó hoy Enrique Arosemena, presidente ejecutivo de Televisión y Radio de Ecuador S.A. RTV Ecuador. Quito, EFE --- Ecuador inaugurará mañana su radio pública en un acto especial en la Plaza de la Independencia, en el centro histórico de Quito, con la presencia del jefe de Estado, Rafael Correa, informó hoy Enrique Arosemena, presidente ejecutivo de Televisión y Radio de Ecuador S.A. RTV Ecuador. Según Arosemena, la radio operará inicialmente en dos ciudades y en las últimas semanas se han hecho emisiones de prueba para inaugurar la programación regular, que inicialmente estaba prevista para el pasado lunes. Arosemena indicó que el retraso de dos días en la inauguración respondió a razones técnicas, que no especificó. La emisora se creó a partir de las frecuencias que poseía Radio Nacional del Estado, la que cambiará de nombre por la de Radio Pública del Ecuador. La implementación de la nueva emisora pública ecuatoriana contó con un presupuesto de 1,7 millones de dólares, indicó Arosemena, tras precisar que ese dinero proviene de un crédito no reembolsable del Banco del Estado (BEDE). Del monto total, explicó, 500 000 dólares servirán para la compra de cuatro transmisores, otra cantidad similar para la adquisición de tres equipos de producción y 700 000 dólares para el gasto corriente. Arosemena precisó que en una fase inicial sólo se transmitirá la programación en las ciudades de Quito y Guayaquil, y señaló que, posteriormente, se integrarán otras regiones del país. Las frecuencias de la Radio Pública son: 100.9 FM en Quito y 105.3 en Guayaquil, y posteriormente se abrirán las frecuencias 88.9 FM en Cuenca y 88.1 FM en Manta. Recordó que el Consejo Nacional de Radio y Televisión (Conartel) autorizó que las 20 frecuencias que actualmente pertenecen a la estatal Radio Nacional pasen a la nueva emisora pública. Radio Nacional es una emisora que, por 40 años, permaneció adscrita a la Secretaria de Comunicación de la Presidencia de Ecuador, aunque con deficiencias y dificultades en sus emisiones. Sobre la programación que emitirá la emisora del Estado, Arosemena precisó que se presentarán noticieros, programas culturales y musicales, entre otros. Ecuador cuenta ya con el canal público Ecuador TV y con el diario público El Telégrafo (via José Miguel Romero2, Spain, Aug 26, dxldyg via DXLD) How about a SW service too while they are in an expansive mood? Could just nationalize what`s left of HCJB (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. This was going to be classified as UNIDENTIFIED: Aug 18 at 0028 past 0103 I found an open carrier on 9280. Taiwan uses this in the mornings, but now? Surely not Asia. Considerable fading but equivalent to other signals on the 31m band which did have modulation. Something new testing? No! Did not remember until I looked it up that this is R. Cairo in Arabic to North America --- minus the Arabic, no trace of any modulation at all, which is considerably worse than the low modulation they usually run, or even adequate modulation in Arabic compared to lesser languages. O well, firing up the transmitter and burning the kW is half the battle (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1422, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, 2215-2258*, Aug 22, Spanish talk. Afro-pop music. Sign off with National Anthem at 2255. Threshold signal at tune-in but improved to a fair level by sign off 5005, Radio Nacional, Bata, 0532-0550, Aug 23, appeared to sign on at 0532 with hi-life music. Very low modulation. Too weak to catch further details. 6250, Radio Nacional, Malabo, *0532-0555, Aug 22, sign on with hi-life music. Spanish talk. Radio Malabo ID at 0535. Fair but occasional ute QRM. 15190, Radio Africa, 1930-1945+, Aug 22, Presumed with US produced English religious program “Let the Bible Speak”. Weak but readable. Only a threshold copy at 2045 check. 15190, Radio Africa, 1730-1935+, Aug 23, US produced English religious programming. Radio Africa IDs at 1832 along with e-mail address & addresses in Ghana & Nigeria. Weak but readable (Brian Alexander, PA, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA ECUATORIAL. 15190, Radio Africa, Malabo, 1905- 1912, August 18, English, long religious talk by male in English, Identification by male as: “...in Radio Africa....”, 24432 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15190, EQ. GUINEA, presumed R. Africa Bata, 1115, Aug 19, English talk noted under band noise; very weak-not much to work with (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Intervale, NH-USA, R8, R75, CLR/DSP. MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60m Dipole, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15190, Radio Africa (presumed); 1751-1807+, 25 Aug; Barely audible English sermonizing; no ID heard at ToH but several addresses given; suddenly much better at 1803 with more English sermonizing. SIO-242, occasional short ute bursts (Harold Frodge, MI, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) R. Africa, 15190, again active Aug 27 at 2035 check with US gospel huxter; fair signal but this is the worst semihour to try to hear it due to VOA Greenville Hausa splash from 15185 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. Radio Bana, Asmara, op 5099.98 kHz In bijlage opname om 1758 UT Aug 27, spijtig geen ID. Heb 30 min. geluisterd. Dit station zit al enige tijd op deze frequentie. Opmerking : Er is altijd of toch veel QRM aanwezig. Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, bdx mailing list via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 9558.86v, Voice of Peace & Democracy, via Radio Ethiopia transmitters, 0403-0410+, Aug 22, drifting to 9558.07v. Talk in listed Tigringa. Horn of Africa music. // 7165.12. Both frequencies fair. According to WRTH this is Mon, Wed, Friday only at 0400-0430 (Brian Alexander, PA, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FAROE ISLANDS. Utvarp Foroya - 531 kHz --- Hello LF, There's an MF broadcaster in the Faroe Islands, Utvarp Foroya, on 531 kHz, which is a good daytime signal up here in Shetland. Their MF transmitter finally broke down, beyond economic repair in May and they were QRT, seemingly forever, but in early August, around the 7th I believe, they re-appeared on the band, and I was initially pleased to hear them - it's always useful to have a strong signal close to our own allocation for off-air measurements, antenna comparisons etc. However around that time I noticed my grabber screen was being wiped out by what looked like wideband noise. I initially thought "summer thunderstorms" and ignored it, but it persists, day and night. Recently I actually listened to the RX audio and found it to be noise- like but varying, in time to the modulation of Utvarp Foroya. They are radiating noise 30 kHz or more away from their carrier frequency! Listening on an SSB/CW receiver I can hear modulation artifacts down to 485 kHz. I've brought it up with RSGB Intruder Watch, who've been in touch with OFCOM at Baldock. Unfortunately they can't hear the wide signal, down there in the south of the UK. Contacts in GI and EI can certainly hear the wide modulation, and raised noise floor though. I am currently making some measurements with a spectrum analyzer and it makes interesting viewing. The signal is at least 30 kHz wide, slowly rolling down to the noise floor of the analyzer (-115 dBm in a 300 Hz resolution bandwidth). Looking at 693 kHz (BBC) and 630 kHz (a Norwegian service) shows them to have very sharp bandwidth limiting +/- 5 kHz, as you'd expect. The Faroes signal seems to roll on forever. I wonder if anyone else can detect this spreading modulation. If you look at my online grabber at http://www.gm4slv.org.uk/grabber2.htm you'll see a raised noise level, but occasional periods of inky blackness, with the normal very low background noise level I enjoy here, when the programme material is silent. I'll scan the print outs of the spectrum plots and pop them on the web tomorrow, and send some copies to OFCOM. The worry isn't so much that they're spreading over our allocation (annoying though that is) it's that they are very noticeable, in these northern waters, on the 518 kHz NAVTEX frequency. Regards, (John GM4SLV Pumford-Green, Clousta, Shetland, Aug 25, via Tracey Gardner, MWC via DXLD) ** FRANCE. I have no idea why, but RFI is running fill music every day in place of the 10-minute newscast that usually leads the "Meteo Marine" broadcast on 13640 from 1130 to 1158 UT (Mike Cooper, GA, Aug 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GEORGIA [non]. RFE/RL ADDS ONE HOUR OF GEORGIAN. NOW TRY TO FIND IT see U S A ** GERMANY. 6005, 1940-2030* 20.08, R. 700, Kall-Krekel, Euskirchen (1 kW) German announcement/announcer, German and British popsongs including The Beatles, ID: "Hier ist Radio 700 Info", 2000 replay of R Sweden German programme with news, 2030: "Radio 700 wüncht Ihnen eine Gute Nacht", 55444. At 2030 R Tirana took over the frequency in Albanian (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Dear friends, Received the following from Deutsche Welle. Regards, Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India DW-TV user survey Dear Sir or Madam, Your opinion is important to us. DEUTSCHE WELLE, Germany's international broadcasting service, wants to incorporate the wishes and interests of its global audience when developing the DW-TV program – making it even more appealing to you. We would therefore like to ask you to answer some questions about DW-TV programming and your media usage in general. Please follow the link below for the questionnaire. Answering the questions will take about 15 minutes. The survey will be anonymous and the information you give us will be treated confidentially in accordance with the provisions of the German Data Protection Act. As a thank you for participating, we will be raffling an iPod. You can take part in the prize drawing by entering your e-mail address at the end of the questionnaire. It will be saved separately from your questionnaire and will not be linked to your answers. Start the survey here: http://www.dw-world.de/interview Thank you for your support! Deutsche Welle Market and Media Research (via Swopan Chakroborty, India, Aug 27, DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. Some changes of Deutsche Welle: 0800-0955 NF 15650 TRM 250 kW / 120 deg to AUS in German, ex 15605 1700-1800 NF 9735 MEY 100 kW / 005 deg to CAf in French, additional (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, August 26, via DXLD) ** HUNGARY. Frequency change of Magyar Radio in Hungarian to NoAm from Aug. 1: 0100-0200 NF 5940 JBR 250 kW / 306 deg, ex 5965 to avoid RHC in Spanish (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, August 26, via DXLD) ** INDIA. 4840.02, 0105-0155 fade out 15.08, AIR Mumbai. Hindi talk, Indian songs, speeches in connection with Independence Day. 35333, but not yet // the few other audible AIR regionals which all carried local programming: 4800 Hyderabad (15232), 4850 Kohima (13121), 4910 Jaipur (25222) and 4940 Chennai (25222) AP-DNK New 4850.01, 0050-0100 fade out 15.08, AIR Kohima. Vernacular talk and Indian songs, 13121, CODAR QRM. According to Jose Jacob, Hyderabad, the SW transmitter is only on the air 4 days each year in connection with the Indian Independence Day (15.08) and Republic Day (26.01)! (ANKER PETERSEN, SKOVLUNDE, DINAMARCA, AOR AR7030PLUS, LONGWIRE 28 METROS, @tividade DX via DXLD) ** INDIA. 4970, AIR Shillong, 1232-1355, Aug 27, in English, "news bulletin", woman DJ with "program of Western music", pop songs in English, many IDs "This is the North Eastern Service of All India Radio broadcasting from Shillong on 60.36 meters on shortwave, corresponding to 4,970 kHz", followed by a panel discussion with a moderator about civil servants, followed by more pop songs, mostly fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. Aug 19 was a bad Indo morning, as could not hear any of the 60m outlets around 1130-1200+, and at 1200, VOI 11784.9 was only a het against equally weak signals on 11785.0. Have not heard VOI`s English hour at 1300 for some weeks, but must still be on 11784.9v as evidenced by barely audible het against VOA Chinese, which was atop Firedrake at 1340 UT check August 28 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 3976.04 RRI-Pontianak, 1342-1353, Aug 26, in BI, // with 3325(RRI Palangkaraya), on-air phone conversation, 1348 ended being parallel and both stations gave local IDs and frequencies. Pontianak played pop songs; Palangkaraya had ads and ballads, both mostly fair. Neither was // with RRI Fak Fak, which was fair on 4790.03 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. Hurricane Hunter NOAA 49, also on HF It is Monday, 2:15am EDT (0615z). NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft "NOAA 49" was up with Miami Ctr on 119.825. The Center discussed tonight's routing and performance of the aircraft which will be conducting a study of Tropical Storm Fay, currently in the Caribbean near Cuba. NOAA 49 is a Gulfstream IV-SP (c/n 1246), based at the NOAA Aircraft Ops Ctr, MacDill AFB Florida. NOAA 49 is now heading to its first waypoint for the flight. The pilot has recited the following waypoints for the flight: Waypoint 1: 31 North, 78 West Waypoint 2: 31 North, 73 West Waypoint 3: 28 North, 73 West Waypoint 4: 28 North, 77 West Waypoint 5: 24-30 North, 77 West Waypoint 6: 22 North, 74 West Waypoint 7: 20-30 North, 73-30 West Waypoint 8: 19 North, 74 West Waypoint 9: 19 North, 79 West Waypoint 10: 20 North, 84 West Waypoint 11: 23 North, 87 West Waypoint 12: 24-30 North, 84 West Waypoint 13: 26 North, 84 West Waypoint 14: 26 North, 89 West Waypoint 15: 28-30 North, 89 West Waypoint 16: 26 North, 91 West Waypoint 17: 28-30 North, 91 West Waypoint 18: 28-30 North, 85 West Then will RTB MacDill. [return to base?] There is some consternation, because the pilot admits that MacDill filed a flight plan for the flight with incorrect waypoints. Miami Ctr is now having to refile and enter each of the correct waypoints. The required coordination with New York is taking quite a bit of time. The NOAA pilot says "I am curious, did she get any of the waypoints correct?" Miami Ctr responds "Yeah, she got the RTB MacDill right." Miami Ctr now hands off NOAA 49 to HF freq 5550 kHz USB, with secondary freq 3455 kHz USB. NOAA 49 has come up on 5550 kHz USB and repeated recital of the listing of waypoints; also got a SelCal check (AL STERN, Satellite Beach FL, Aug 18, Cumbre DX et al., via WORLD OF RADIO 1422, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. Abie Nathan, Voice of Peace founder, dies --- Abie Nathan, the pilot, entrepreneur, peace activist and founder of the groundbreaking "Voice of Peace" radio station, died Wednesday Aug 27 at Tel Aviv's Ichilov hospital, the hospital said in a statement. He was 81. Press reports: International Herald Tribune http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/27/africa/ME-Israel-Obit-Nathan.php Ynetsnews.com http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3588743,00.html Jerusalem Post [also via Brock Whaley] http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1219572144051&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Haaretz http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1015844.html (Mike Barraclough, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) OBIT ** IRAN [and non]. 12085, 1532- Aug 25, VOIRI. Strange. I was looking for Voice of Mongolia (heard on some other mornings at fair to good level), but instead came across Tehran signing on in English with frequencies and into Kor`an. Using the Wellbrook array, I was able to hear Mongolia slightly over Tehran. My North Beverage only produced Iran with good level, and only traces of Mongolia. On some other days I had noted Iran signing off at 1530. Wonder whether this was in error, as a few moments later, Iran cut out, leaving Mongolia in the clear (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [and non]. IRAN/LITHUANIA. Frequency changes for VOIROI/IRIB effective from August 4 0630-0727 NF 9770 SIT 100 kW / 259 deg to WeEu, ex 11670 in Italian 0630-0727 NF 13750 KAM 500 kW / 304 deg to WeEu, ex 13710*in French 1200-1227 NF 15240 KAM 500 kW / 259 deg to NE/ME,ex 15260 in Hebrew *to avoid CRI in English from 0700 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, August 26, via DXLD) ** ISRAEL [and non]. 11605, 1422- Aug 25, Kol Israel. Presumed Persian program with bubble jammer also audible, but it appears to be off frequency on around 11605.2. Reasonably good reception. Bubble jammer no longer audible at 1431, so perhaps aimed at another broadcaster? ?RFA. Oops, spoke too soon, the bubble jammer came back at 1432:30. Was off the air for a few minutes, then. I can see it again on the Perseus scope at 11605.230. Rechecked at 1525 and noted web address mentioned: www.kolisrael.com. Interesting that the jammer stopped again at 1525. Good reception at this time. Olympic talk (about Michael Phelps). // 13850 has a very loud bubble jammer on 13850.9. At just before 1529, heard: 'Hi, my name is George. I come from Ghana'. Strange! A commercial, obviously. Wonder whether they switched into a domestic network? Sounds Hebrew rather than Persian. 'Shalom' and mention of Jerusalem and into news. Transmitter cut at 1531:20 (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. See INTERNATIONAL WATERS ** JAPAN. Mr. Koji Yamada, Japanese famous shortwave writer, died by liver cancer on August 19. He was 67 years old. He just returned from the trip to KBS World Radio in Korea in July. He was called "BCL no kamisama" (Ace BCL) in Japan. He wrote a great many books of shortwave listening in Japan. He was a mastermind of 1970-1980's "BCL boom" in Japan, producing more than 3,000,000 young shortwave listeners (BCL). He had many friends in shortwave radio stations in the world, especially South Korea and Taiwan. In March this year he wrote a new book "Resuming BCL" for aged who were the BCL in their young days, and the books were sold out. Born in Asakusa, downtown Tokyo, and lived for a log time in Nippori near Asakusa, at last he moved to Boso peninsula in Chiba prefecture with noise-free circumstance and wide DX site, and was enjoying DX listening with full-sized Beverage antenna (Takahito Akabayashi, Tokyo, Japan, Aug 21, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) OBIT ** JAPAN [and non]. The self-interference of NHKWNRJ on 11705 may be annoying in Oklahoma, but as you would expect is much worse further west, for the 1400-1430 English broadcast. From Santa Fe, Aug 21 at 1355 I found the station in Indonesian on 11705, which is direct, changing to English for Asia at 1400, and then the echo from Sackville started a few seconds later, with Yamata stronger. I will compile a separate report of my MW and FM observations on the road in OK and NM (Glenn Hauser, NM, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KAZAKHSTAN. 9950, 1430- Aug 22, Golos Pravoslavya, Voice of Orthodoxy at excellent level in Russian, after church bells IS. This program is on Tuesdays and Fridays only. Transmitter site Almaty (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KAZAKHSTAN. 12150, 1450- Aug 25, WYFR. Family Radio programming with same male presenter that we often hear via Taiwan on 1557 after 1400. Transmitter problem as the carrier is very strong, but modulation very low with a loud hum (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. 3912, noise jammer over talk at 1128 Aug 19, i.e. the Chocom blocking V. of the People, out of the South (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. JAPAN, 6015, 1428- Aug 22, Shiokaze. Good reception in English with sign off announcements ending with 'Take care of yourself'. Cochannel underneath, but not a problem (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) JAPAN, 11675, 1523- Aug 27, Nippon no Kaze. Noted the ID at 1523:24. Very strong this morning, with mostly Japanese talk, although did have a Japanese song sung by a YL at 1525. Sign-off announcements to just past 1530, then transmitter cut immediately. JAPAN, 11690, 1501- Aug 24, Nippon no Kaze. Another presumed logging for a program aimed at North Korea. Transmitter listed as 'DRW'. Could someone inform me which site this is? May be jammed, as there seems to be a distorted cochannel. Japanese talk by YL (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Darwin, Australia (Noel Green, ibid., and gh) JAPAN, 11775, 1452- Aug 24, Furusato no Kaze. Presumed logging at good level (although the MUF must be fairly low this morning compared to other mornings). Japanese programming and traditional Japanese male vocal. Over weak cochannel. Various addresses and internet noted at 1457. Also 'kHz' at 1458 (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH [and non]. LEE MYUNG BAK'S MOVES TO CONTROL PUBLIC BROADCASTING SERVICES UNDER FIRE Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- The Democratic Party of south Korea criticized traitor Lee Myung Bak group's moves to put the broadcasting services under its control on August 23, according to south Korean KBS. The Committee of Measures for Checking the Moves to Control the Broadcasting Services of the Democratic Party issued a statement in which it accused the officials concerned of "Chongwadae" and KBS of holding a "meeting" to appoint its new manager on August 17. This made it clear that "Chongwadae" is spearheading the farce of replacing the manager of KBS, the statement noted, adding that the Lee "government" does not have even an iota of conscience. A spokesman for the above-mentioned party said at a press conference that the authorities' plot to control the broadcasting services reminds one of the action taken by the military dictatorial forces to control the media 28 years ago, declaring that the party would urge those involved in the "meeting" to resign and push forward an "inspection of the state administration" to probe the truth behind the Lee "government's" moves to control the broadcasting services. The south Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in a statement issued on August 22 blasted the board of directors of KBS for making desperate efforts to appoint a new manager after becoming a puppet of "Chongwadae." This is an undemocratic provocative act of the Lee "government" to violate the people's right to know and reduce KBS, a broadcasting service for the people, to a trumpeter for the "government," and the dictatorial regime's plot to control the public broadcasting services, it noted. The statement demanded the Lee "government" make apology for plotting to control the public broadcasting services and stop dreaming of realizing its plot (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** KUWAIT. 11990, 1810- Aug 20, Radio Kuwait. It's been a long time since I've heard the English service of Radio Kuwait. Just as enjoyable as it was the first time I heard them years ago. Good to very good reception today with a description of the pilgrimage to Mecca. Very interesting! Then into a rather sexy English vocal YL. Interesting contrast for sure! (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LAOS. Nice to meet you. I report it. I can receive "Lao National Radio" at 4412.6 kHz at the beginning of this month. I hear a recording file, and please confirm it if you like. The following uniform resource locator is it. http://sky.geocities.jp/peace_jju_ujjj/2008/080809_2059_4412.6k_lao_national_radio.mp3 Thank you. ([peace J] near Tokyo, Japan. http://www.peace-j.net/ Aug 19, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks for a great tip! Sounds like it to me; I suppose the time was 1159 UT, with the bells on the hour. They overlap so much it`s hard to count them. A regional? There`s an ID at the end of the clip ``Thini - --`` but if they mention a non-Vientiane city, can`t catch it. The only active regional in WRTH 2008 is Sam Neua, 4678v, so maybe that has moved (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4412.62, Lao National Radio, 1157-1231*, Aug 20, Glenn is probably correct that this is the new frequency for Sam Neua, Houa Phan Province. Clearly not parallel to 6130 till just before the ToH, so assume was their own regional programming with music till just before ToH (6130 was just talking). Just before ToH became parallel with 6130, gong/bell rung seven times, anthem, assume the news and talking in Laotian, BoH anthem and off, weak. Seemed to continue in parallel right up to the BoH, but very hard to tell if they did give a local ID or not just before the anthem. Am grateful to "peace J" for the tip. [later:] Hi Glenn, They are varying in frequency, which I believe is also consistent for Sam Neua. Aug 21 heard on 4412.60, at 1205 with poor reception and still // 6130. Yesterday's reception was much better (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4412.58v, Lao National Radio - Sam Neua (presumed), 1157-1231*, Aug 25, not parallel to 6130 till about 1202, hence no gong heard today at the ToH (gong was heard on 6130), news in Laotian, choral anthem at sign-off. So they do not always switch to the national programming exactly at the ToH (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4412.57, 1227- Aug 27, Sam Neua. Presumed logging with fair to good reception with Lao talk, Not // to 6130 at this time. Marred completely by CODAR interference. At 1230 sounds like a NA sung. Lasted until 1231:30 and carrier off immediately (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4412.58v, Lao National Radio - Sam Neua (presumed), 1222-1231*, Aug 28, parallel to 6130 (at 1224, 1226 and 1227 had distinctive brief musical selections that clearly matched up), 1230 no longer parallel, woman gives assume the sign-off announcement, no choral Anthen today. So their format does change a little from day to day (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LAOS. 6130, 1421- Aug 21, Lao National Radio. Excellent reception with English lessons, with translation into presumed Lao. Talking about pay (American accented), tips vs salaried workers. 'How much money should you give them when you tip them'. '15 to 20% of your bill in a hotel or restaurant. 15% for taxi drivers. Little more if he carries your bag. For most other services, tip $2...' (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6130, Lao National Radio, 1420, Aug 26 (Tue.), English lesson and Laotian translations for "New Dynamic English", English scheduled for Mon. & Tue., although often also heard on Fri. & Sat., several program IDs, fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. Thanks to Thorsten Hallmann's timely and informative suggestion, I have monitored these Madagascar frequencies on Aug 19 and 20: 5010 – Aug 19: 1335-1507, weak, started out with heavy AIR QRM, much better by 1435 mostly conversation between man and woman, in French and played some music. Aug 20: 1309 just AIR and no QRM, 1348 Madagascar quickly fading in, seemed to be in vernacular and French, played some pop French songs, // 6134.93, weak. 6134.93 – Clearly parallel with 5010. Aug 19: Heard under WYFR (via Russia – 1335 heard in Chinese, after 1400 in English till 1500*), in the clear after 1500, but by then Madagascar was weak but could tell was parallel with 5010. Aug 20: Very different reception than yesterday, by 1348 was again positive parallel to 5010, after 1400 almost no QRM today from WYFR and reception of Madagascar here was actually a little better than on 5010. 7105 - Strong BBC in Chinese and Firedrake (music jamming): Aug 19, 1335-1507, impossible to tell if anything was under this mess. Aug 20 the same. 7155 – Strong VOA with a weak unidentified station under them. On Aug 20 was clearly able to tell that the unidentified station was not parallel to 5010. 9690 – Only one station heard here (or in this vicinity, as Madagascar has been reported on 9688.7v in the past): AIR via engaluru/Bangalore, in English, no QRM heard. So the only good news is that 6134.93 is indeed clearly parallel to 5010 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Ron, great log! Reports for 6135 from outside Africa have always been very rare, and it's really interesting that it does not sign off at 1500. So maybe a possibility for us in Europe to catch it at 1600 or so. Thank you for the detailed info! 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, NW Germany, via Howard, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Greetings from California, USA -- Thought this information might be of interest to you. Thank you for the great African list you provide. I have learned a lot from it. Thank you (Ron Howard to Thorsten Hallmann, via DXLD) 6134.92, R. Nasionaly Malagasy, 1425, Aug 26, conversation in French, best in LSB to get away from WYFR (6135.0). Still being clearly heard // 5010, both weak. 5010 cannot be heard in LSB at all (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALI. 5995, RTVM, *0556-0615, Aug 22, guitar IS. National Anthem at 0558. Flute IS at 0559 & opening ID announcements in French. Talk. Qur`an at 0603. Weak. Poor with splatter from Cuba 6000 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MAURITANIA. R. Mauritania vuelve a emitir por los 4845 después de bastantes días sin hacerlo; dejó de emitir días antes del golpe de estado. Saludos (Antonio Madrid, Moraleda, Granada (España), 1902 UT Aug 18, logsderadio yg via DXLD) NEW 4845.00, 2310-0030 18/19.08 R Mauritanie, Nouakchott Arabic/French. Back on SW after being absent nearly a month. Interview in Arabic about Sharia Law in Iran and Iraq, two speeches in French both ending with "Vive la Démocratie en Mauritanie!" followed by an excited speaker in Arabic, 0000 long comment in Arabic, 55444 (ANKER PETERSEN, SKOVLUNDE, DINAMARCA, AOR AR7030PLUS, LONGWIRE 28 METROS, @tividade DX via DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. XEXQ, 6045, Aug 19 at 1207 barely audible with Pomp & Circumstance, soon into Spanish announcement. Have heard Elgar`s P&C 5 before around this time and suspect it`s their sign-on, or else they are really fond of this piece. Soon faded under noise level. XEXQ, 6045, Aug 27 at 1258 with full ID including 25 kW on 1190, but could not copy further details due to lo het with something else. At 1300-1303 faded up with several PSAs including a potosino one, 1303 back to classical music. As for the co-channel, Aoki and Eibi show V. of Russia via Vladivostok starting in Chinese at 1300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6185, XEPPM, Radio Educación; 0435-0441+, 27 Aug; M&W en Spanish; W ID and program ID in English; Música Popular en México; Radio Educación Onda Corta; campesino music. SIO=433+, QRM Vatican. Seems to be running slightly below 6185 (Harold Frodge, MI, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) See also UNIDENTIFIED 6185 ** MEXICO. JOHN CALLARMAN'S MEXICAN STATION LISTINGS UPDATED FOR 2008 Greetings NRC members, I just wanted to alert you all that John Callarman has updated his Mexican Station Listings for 2008. They are now available for download on the nrcdxas site. Simply click the link that's posted under "Latest NRC News".You may also find them in the "Articles" section. Many thanks to John for his efforts in maintaining these frequency lists. 73- (Gary Wilt- W2GJW, NRC Webmaster, Wood Ridge, NJ FN20wu, Aug 27, NRC-AM via DXLD) But accessible to non-members, currently at the top of a huge list of articles, viz.: (gh) Mexican AM Stations by John Callarman By Frequency By City These documents have been revised for 2008; it is the definitive reference for those in need of information on AM stations from Mexico. In John’s own words, “I have a one-word slogan: Share.” - Qal R Man. There are two versions posted here; by frequency and by City… We have converted these from the original WORD documents to allow the widest sharing possible in the Adobe PDF file format http://www.nrcdxas.org/articles/index1.html (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** MOLDOVA. See PRIDNESTROVYE ** MONGOLIA. 12085, 1514- Aug 21, Voice of Mongolia. Japanese programming at good level, although cochannel with someone else. I'll check at 1530 for English. Recheck at 1522 shows the other station dominating. My lists indicate IRIB in Teheran [see IRAN] dominating with VOM heard clearly underneath, but much weaker. Tehran signed off at 1529 with their address (in English). Left VOM in the clear with their IS and sign-on in English at 1530. Fair at best. Rechecked following day, and reception much better at good level, S4 to 5 on the meter (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOROCCO. I see the VOA/IBB site in Morocco (now closed) sometimes listed as Tanger-Briech or Tangier-Briech. Some time after VOA opened the "New Morocco" site in the early 1990s, I did some checking and found that the new site, near the town of Briech, was about a mile south of the border of the old Tangier International Zone. So reception of the site would not count as Tangier but as French Morocco (Dan Ferguson, SC, Aug 17, NASWA yg via DXLD) I.e. per the NASWA method of counting radio countries based on their previous borders or existence (gh, DXLD) Hi Dan, When I was sending out veri letters for RFE/RL transmissions via Briech, I always indicated the Morocco site by that name, and that is the name that was used in all the reception reports, but the interesting thing is that the name "Briech" was never used officially by IBB. So it was sort of a leap of faith to verify under that name, but of course we all know that is what it is. What is to become of Briech now?? 73 (David Walcutt, OR, NASWA yg via DXLD) And maybe Dan and David could explain how to pronounce Briech, or how it was pronounced in the shops? 73, (Glenn Hauser, announcer, ibid.) "In the shops" it was pronounced the same as "Morocco". ;-) I'm checking. df [later:] The reply I got was ... "We always pronounced it Bree esh, so I'd say that is the way it is." df (Dan Ferguson, ibid.) Yep, Dan is right, the name "Briech" was not in use at all - - in the shops! (Dave Walcutt, ibid.) ** MYANMAR. 5985, 1443- Aug 21, Myanma Radio. Very strong reception this morning, with frequency bang on 5985 rather than the usual off frequency. Local music. Not in English during this time. Non-stop local music until 1504 when announcements in local language. Finally went into English at 1530. Still at good level, but with lots of adjacent splatter (on both sides). 9730.13, 1431- Aug 21, Myanmar Radio. Very good reception with mentions of Myanmar. Over cochannel CRI. Indigenous language. I listened the following day and noted them at very strong level, but this time on 9730.76 kHz at 1427 (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5985.0, 1533- Aug 27, Radio Myanma. Excellent reception with lovely local music for the past hour. Didn't notice any ID or IS at 1500, but when rechecked at 1534, English news in progress with local news --- General this and General that meeting with officers and presenting stationary, etc. ID at 1537, 'This program is coming to you from Myanma Radio', then into weather and news headlines. Gone when I rechecked after 1600 (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also BHUTAN ** NETHERLANDS. Hello from Hilversum, Today marks the end of an era for the English Department at RNW, as Marijke Van der Meer takes a well-earned early retirement after 30 years of loyal service. I have just returned from a reception to mark her retirement. In the 11 years I've been at RNW, talking with Marijke has been an exhilarating experience, and I've always finished the conversation knowing something abut the Netherlands that I didn't know before. I joked with her that colleagues will now have to do a lot more Googling for information rather than just being able to ask Marijke. I know you will all join me in wishing her a long and happy retirement. But she doesn't plan to put her feet up - she tells me she wants to do more travelling (Andy Sennitt, Aug 27, Media Network Newsletter via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. 3935.07, 1426- Aug 27, ZLXA. Reading Service just audible with English talk. Seems pretty rarely heard these days compared to years ago when I often had them at armchair level (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. 11565, 1521- Aug 20, Unid station here. Lots of mentions of Kashmir. I note that Radio Pakistan is listed with English until 1515. Good signal strength. Slight distortion. Indian music noted from 1524. Possibly Azaad Kashmir Radio? Close down announcements at 1528, but quite distorted, so couldn't make out the ID. NA at 1529. Will have to check that to ID for sure. Carrier off at 1529:45. 11565, 1510- Aug 21, Radio Pakistan. Good reception, although with distorted audio with English news. Same transmitter as I heard yesterday. Nothing heard on 15625. 9385 weaker, but in the clear --- nope, it's an American religious preacher on that frequency. At 1515 announced the end of the news and directly into a local language without any apparent ID, so I'm not sure which program this would be (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is the World Service of Radio Pakistan to the Gulf & ME. Their original frequency was 11570 but changed to current 11565 due to QRM. This service is on air at 1330-1530 UT and currently includes English News & Commentary at 1500-1515 that was formerly broadcast at 1600- 1615 - it will resume at 1600-1615 on Sept. 1 when Pakistan adjusts to 'winter time' - i.e. UTC+5 (currently +6). The parallel frequency is not 9385 but 9380 (no change here from original). 15625 is NOT on air at 1500-1515 because the transmitter is in use at that time to broadcast the Dari service on 6060 at 1430-1530. The World Service is basically in the Urdu language and has no connection with Azad Kashmir. English at 1500-1515 is from the domestic services. Walter, listen for the close down at 1530 when you should hear their ID and anthem (Noel R. Green (NW England), ibid.) ** PERU. 4857, R La Hora, Cusco. August 22, Spanish, 2316-0007 "lo deportivo" sports program", soccer talks "tercera fecha de la Copa Perú", 2334 ads "Universidad Norte Peruana", electrical parts store "tabuleros eléctricos, electrobombas", medical assistance "especialista en salud mental, en frente a hospital regional de Cusco", 0005 finally a ID in own ads about La Hora´s program "programación de su preferencia". Confirming Bob Wilkner`s log, 33333 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4826.43, Radio Sicuani, Sicuani at 1045 with weak signal being heard in southeast Florida (Bob Wilkner, Pompano Beach, South Florida, US, 1051 UT Aug 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PRIDNESTROVYE. 12135, 1449- Aug 20, Radio PMR. Excellent reception at 1450 with local news. Very surprising, as I've never heard them so well in Victoria. Excellent and strong, clean modulation. Clearly pro- Moscow with talk of 'Georgian aggression in South Ossetia' and PMR and South Ossetian cooperation. Interesting that at the conclusion they give an address in the 'Republic of Moldova' and not the PMR. Perhaps the mail didn't get through if the address is listed as 'PMR'. Into French at 1501. Same program repeated at 1530 at same excellent strength. Can hear a faint short/long path echo at 1530. Still going strong at 1638 recheck (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 12135, 1446- Aug 25, Radio PMR. German programming until just after 1445, at excellent level. Should have gone into English, but remained an OC until 1447:40 when the carrier cut. Transmitter problem? Back at 1454 only. Program about the day of the Russian flag. Strange, that a so-called independent republic spends most of its time reporting on Russia! Rather than going into a program in progress, they started the English program only when the transmitter came back on, and hence the schedule is off today by 9 minutes! (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA [and non]. 11735, 1734- Aug 22. Radio Romania International. Clearly heard in English under very strong Radio Tanzania Zanzibar in Swahili (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 5920, 0610- Aug 19, Kamchatka Radio. Local ID at 0610 noted at very good level. Fascinating as the language is not Russian, but presumably a local indigenous language. Lots of mentions of Kamchatka noted. I checked other normally parallel channels such as 5940 and 7320 and they were carrying normal Russian programming. The indigenous program continued until 0624 when it reverted to Russian, with several Russian ads for Radio Rossii programs. This was now in // to the 2 other frequencies noted (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [and non] On 7175, Aug 19 at 1226, jazz into Japanese past 1230. This is V. of Russia, via Pet-Kam at 12-14. We have a convenient choice of this or 7190 with CRI in Japanese at 10-16, but the latter better here as it`s also aimed US-ward (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [non]. RUSSIA/MOLDOVA, Additional transmission for Voice of Russia in Italian: 2130-2230 on 1548 GRI/Maiac. Very good reception here in BUL (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, August 26, via DXLD) ** SAINT HELENA. Hi all, finally got my QSL card form Radio St. Helena on Saturday the 23rd. It was posted (dispatched according to them) on 08/08/08, so that was a quick trip. It was number 186, gonna go on a dxpedition for the next broadcast. Some nice quiet location (Chuck Sayers, Harrisburg PA, WA3GSI, FN10og, Aug 25, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Congratulations, Chuck. I had to wait 5.5 years for mine! I even have that "final" broadcast from October of 1999 recorded on audio tape. About three hours, as I recall. Even though my e-mail report during the live transmission was read over the air by Tony Leo, nobody could find my report to verify it! What was even worse, I also sent them one by direct airmail! Before you pack up for that DXpedition, Chuck, do the best you can to determine "if" there will be any propagation for the broadcast! No fun sitting on a rock listening to static, eating a sandwich with sand in it and sipping a warm softdrink! (LOL!) Save the envelope, Chuck! That postmark and stamp are already worth more then the QSL card is! (Duane Fischer, W8DBF, ibid.) ** SERBIA [and non]. New QSL cards of International R Serbia --- "We have just finished designing our new QSL cards and the first ones have been sent to the addresses our listeners mentioned in their letters." (from http://glassrbije.org/E/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3790&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=28 via Dragan Lekic, Serbia, Aug 23, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN [and non]. REE has resumed classical music during the 1300 UT hour now that the Olympix are over, as noted Aug 27 at 1317 with piano on 15170 via Costa Rica, 17595 direct. Previous schedule for this was Mon/Tue/Wed only (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. via Sines, Portugal, 17690, Sudan Radio Service, *1500-1545+, Aug 22, Arabic talk. Short breaks of African music. IDs. Poor to fair (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, TenTec RX-340, two 100 foot longwires, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWAN ISLAND. If the Kneitel-based story appearing in EI in the 1960's is correct, a map was shown of North America showing the alleged DA pattern of Swan on 1160, roughly a figure-8 with two nulls, one right towards SLC UT and the other symmetric, to Mexico, and the eastward lobe somewhat bigger than the westerly one. I recall they did this with two towers. So perhaps KSL had no issue with Swan, as to real interference (vs. just a statutory objection), I just don't recall (Bob Foxworth, FL, Aug 26, NRC-AM via DXLD) That pattern description is somewhat impossible. If you look at a map you will see that Swan Island is pretty much due east of Belize. A figure-8 pattern with a lobe directed toward Cuba would have produced a null to the NW toward Mexico and most of the western US and another null to the SE toward Venezuela. Off the back of the array it would have also placed a huge signal into Honduras which is the country that laid claim to the island. This is probably the pattern that was used since the installation was described as "quick and dirty". From a technical standpoint they would have done a much better job of covering Cuba by using two towers to produce a cardioid pattern. This would have put much more power toward all of Cuba and placed a null toward most of Central America. But that pattern would have placed much more signal over the US and Mexico. As it was they were heard pretty much everywhere. To test their listenership and coverage they announced that they would send a free ballpoint pen to listeners who wrote in. They were reportedly prepared to mail out 250 pens. They were apparently besieged with 3,000 letters from 26 countries. I don't remember ever hearing anything about KSL getting interference from Radio Swan or it's later incarnation which was called Radio Americas. The interference was from the Cuban jammer. It was presumed that the jammer's primary target was Havana and it was suspected that the jammer transmitter may have been located southeast of the city using a directional antenna resulting in a huge signal coincidentally aimed right at KSL. I don't think that I ever heard mention of KSL being an intentional target (Patrick Griffith, CBT CBNT CRO, Westminster CO, ibid.) ** TURKEY. Frequency change for Voice of Turkey in Turkish to WeEu: 0700-1255 NF 13635*EMR 500 kW / 310 deg, ex 13675 to avoid RFI French 08-10 * co-ch CVC International in English from 1100 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, August 26, via DXLD) ** TURKEY. VOT, 15450, Aug 27 at 1320 with Turkish singer in a minor key (anything major would be unexpected), F-G with little else from ME arriving on band, 1323 sign-off and IS for 2 or 3 minutes before carrier off (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA. New, 4749.99, *1700-1820, 20+25.08, R Dunamis, Mukono (presumed) Vernacular talk, initially covered by Bangladesh [q.v.], 21331, later LSB best due to local noise, 15111. Still a weak carrier at 1910 (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** U K [non]. BBCWS, 11860 via GUIANA FRENCH, Aug 19 at 1156 with totally inappropriate ID loop in English, about ``no service on this channel, but 24h English and Arabic on one of this satellite`s nearby channels`` (paraphrased) and referring to bbcworldservice.com But, but, this is shortwave, not satellite! At 1200 cut to BBC Mundo Radio in Spanish, and thence heavy ACI from CRI 11855 via Sackville. Meanwhile, 9410 at 1159 was doing the WHRI sign-on, and from 1200 // (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [and non]. Some frequency changes of BBC: 0030-0100 NF 9895 CYP 300 kW / 081 deg to WeAs, ex 9875 Dari 0100-0130 NF 9895 CYP 300 kW / 081 deg to WeAs, ex 9875 Pashto 0130-0200 NF 9895 CYP 300 kW / 081 deg to WeAs, ex 9875 Dari 0200-0230 NF 9895 CYP 300 kW / 081 deg to WeAs, ex 9875 Pashto 0200-0230 NF 5875 RMP 500 kW / 076 deg to EaEu, ex 9775 Russian 0230-0300 NF 9895 CYP 300 kW / 081 deg to WeAs, ex 9875 Dari 0300-0330 NF 9895 RMP 250 kW / 076 deg to WeAs, ex 9875 Pashto 0700-0730 NF 15340 ASC 250 kW / 027 deg to WCAf, ex 15105 French 1100-1130 NF 7115 NAK 250 kW / 305 deg to SEAs, ex 7330 Burmese M-F 1400-1500 NF 13735 CYP 300 kW / 077 deg to WeAs, ex 13610 Dari 1700-1900 NF 13675 RMP 500 kW / 062 deg to CeAs, ex 13865 English WS (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, August 26, via DXLD) ** U S A. AFN out of the Florida Keys seems to be off the air at 2015 check of 7811 and 12133.5. Tropical Storm Fay is currently hitting the Florida Keys (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, Aug 18, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1422, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 8-093, George Woodard, Radio World, 13 August 2008, the case for shortwave: Of the nine countries mentioned by George, the RFE/RL website says it has FM affiliates in Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. For now. As for the internet, this is a timely article, given the recent developments in the Russian-Georgian cyber war, with websites being shut down not only by governments but by individual hackers. I have always advocated for a global shortwave capacity for U.S. international broadcasting, to provide information during any future crises. Shortwave is the least interdictable of the media available to international broadcasting. However, with the closure of the IBB relays in Greece and Morocco, USIB shortwave capabilities are, arguably, no longer global. As audiences in many parts of the world now have access to FM radio, television (including satellite and cable television), and the internet, fewer are listening to shortwave, and fewer are replacing their shortwave radios. This has led to international broadcasters cutting back on their shortwave transmissions in favor of rebroadcasting, satellite television, and the internet. The remaining shortwave listeners are noticing fewer stations on their dials, and increased difficulties in listening due to the proliferation of interfering devices and appliances. (My shortwave listening in northern Virginia is curtailed as I fight a losing battle against local noise.) Will these listeners replace their shortwave radios? And, so, in the inevitable future emergencies, when local FM rebroadcasters are shut down, and the internet is blocked by governments and/or hackers, and satellite dishes are confiscated, will there still be the "critical mass" of shortwave radios and shortwave broadcast transmitters to provide information to communities that need it? Posted: 17 Aug 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. RFE/RL ADDS ONE HOUR OF GEORGIAN. NOW TRY TO FIND IT "Until further notice, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Georgia Service will be adding a fourth hour of live, primetime news coverage to its listeners in Georgia and surrounding areas." RFE/RL press release, 11 August 2008. "Geez! WTFK?? They issue a press release and then include no details about the subject." Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest, 12 August 2008. "WTFK" means "What's the frequency, Kenneth?" a phrase that dates back to this 1986 incident. http://ask.yahoo.com/20010619.html Anyway, Glenn is making the point that the press release does not provide any information about the frequency or even the time of this expanded RFE/RL Georgian broadcast, in case anyone might want to tune in. After some research, Glenn thinks the expansion is at 1800-1900 UTC on 7370 and 9370 kHz. To try to verify this, I looked at the RFE/RL Georgian website and clicked on its shortwave link. An English-language page popped up, stating, completely incorrectly: "This service does not have shortwave broadcast available." Perhaps RFE/RL is unconcerned about publicizing its shortwave frequencies because it thinks most people in Georgia are listening via its extensive network of FM affiliates in that country. What would be the present status of the FM affiliates in, say, Gori? Or the RFE/RL television affiliate on "6.00 kHz" in that city? Posted: 17 Aug 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD; see http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=4620 for linx) VOA Georgian - Newly expanded! I've just visited: http://www.voanews.com/english/about/frequenciesAtoZ_g.cfm and this is what I can see: Georgian- Newly expanded 1530-1600 UTC 11945 12130 15460 1600-1630 UTC 12105 12130 15460 1700-1800 UTC 7420 11955 So, VOA added 1 hour more in Georgian, at 1700Z! (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, Aug 23, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Extended schedule for Voice of America in Georgian: 1530-1600 NF 15460 LAM 100 kW / 080 deg, ex 15475 11945 IRA 250 kW / 324 deg 12130 KWT 250 kW / 058 deg 1600-1630 on 12105 LAM 100 kW / 075 deg 12130 KWT 250 kW / 058 deg 15460 LAM 100 kW / 080 deg 1700-1800 on 7420 UNID transmitter 11955 UNID transmitter (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Aug 26 via DXLD) ** U S A. VOA HINDI RADIO SERVICE TO BE SHUT DOWN Voice of America's Hindi radio service is on the chopping block. As you will see below from the message that's been circulated by those who work there, radio service will cease on September 30, 2008 (it was first launched in July 1955). About six staffers will lose their jobs. The website and a once-a-week, seven-minute segment on Aaj Tak, a television channel in India, will continue. A senior VOA official (who wouldn't talk on the record to SAJA forum) told me that how the web and TV presence will evolve will be decided after the radio service stops running. I have a call into other officials, seeking on-the-record comments and will update this post as necessary. If you have thoughts, comments, etc., please post it in the comments section below. Tips, leads, welcome, too: saja[at]columbia.edu In the message below, Ashok Sarin of VOA Hindi Service (Radio) - akumarsarin[at]yahoo.com - asks those interested to write to members of Congress who might be able to influence this decision. He concludes by writing: "Even writing a letter to Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post can serve a useful purpose." You will be sorry to know that the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has announced to the employees of the Voice of America , Hindi Service (Radio) that their broadcasts will be abolished on September 30, 2008. This decision was presented as being the "will of the Congress". However, in December the FY 2008 funding bill for the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which was PASSED by both houses and signed by the President, directed that this proposed cut be REVERSED. On July 16, 2008, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs marked up the Broadcasting Board of Governors FY 2009 budget and again directed this proposed cut be REVERSED. Excerpts from their recommendation: Language Service Reductions - The Committee recommends sufficient funding in fiscal year 2009, including $8,000,000 provided in Public Law 110-252, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008, to maintain broadcasting in languages which the BBG proposed to reduce or eliminate. The Committee supports an ongoing effort to improve audience reach by utilizing the most effective means of transmission; however, the Committee does not support going silent in many critical regions. It appears that the Broadcasting Board of Governors is ignoring the will of the Congress. Hindi is the flagship and national language of India. There are several [hundred] million Muslims in India (more than the population of Pakistan, who keenly listen and ask questions about US strategic partnership with India and its efforts in the Middle East. All Hindi VOA Radio Listeners depend on VOA Hindi Radio programming and news to keep themselves fully informed and this is one of main reasons that in a recent survey 73 per cent people gave U.S. the most favored nation status. President George Bush has already launched an initiative to promote foreign languages in American schools including HINDI. U.S. is shifting more diplomats to India while reducing the numbers in Europe, boosting attention to the rising power and importance to India. The entire U.S. business is working on "India Strategy", but BBG is not thinking straight. Indo-US nuclear deal, India cooperation in the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, joint military exercises and several other issues figure prominently in Indo-US relationship which is going to be extremely substantial in the years to come. The Urdu Service of VOA for Pakistan, Dari and Pashto Services for Afghanistan, have been extended by several hours a day while the Hindi Radio Broadcast to India is only an hour a day and that too is likely to be eliminated. Shutting the Hindi Radio will be an insult to the people of India. Radio is the only medium to reach all the 750 million Hindi speaking people of India. Given the strategic importance to India as the world's largest democracy, a de facto nuclear power, world's fifth largest economy and an important ally of the united States in the WAR AGAINST GLOBAL TERRORISM, shutting down the well established daily Hindi Radio programming since July 1955, should not be favored. I will urge you to please take this matter up with the members of India Caucus and other members of the Appropriation Committees of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, plead with them that they advise BBG Chairman and other members of the Board NOT to close down VOA Hindi Radio Service. Some strong action is needed and I am hopeful that you will help us in our mission. Regards, Ashok Sarin, Voice of America, Hindi Service Key appropriation committee members who can stop the Hindi Radio cuts: 1. Representative Chris Van Hollen, Jr., U.S. House of Representatives, 1707 Longworth House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215 Fax: 202-225-0375 2. Representative Donna Edwards, U.S. House of Representatives, 2470 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215 Fax: 202-225-8714 3. Representative Steny Hoyer, U.S. House of Representatives, 1705 Longworth House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215. Fax: 202-225- 4300 4. Representative Roscoe Bartlett, U.S. House of Representatives, 2412 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215. Fax: 202-225- 2193 5. Representative Frank R. Wolf, U.S. House of Representatives, 241 Cannon House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215. Fax: 202-225-0437 6. Representatives Thomas M. Davis III, U.S. House of Representatives, 2348 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215. Fax: 202- 225-3071 7. Representative Robert J. Wittman, U.S. House of Representatives, 1123 Longworth House, Washington D.C,. 20215. Fax: 202-225-4382 8. Representative James P. Moran, U.S. House of Representatives, 2239 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20215. Fax: 202-225- 0017 9. Hon. Howard Berman, Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Fax 202-225-3196. 10. Hon. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking Member, House Committee on Foreign Affairs Fax: 202-225-5620 11. Hon. Nita Lowey, Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Fax: 202-225-0437 12. Patrick Leahy (Appropriations Subcommittee - State, Foreign Relations and related Programs. Fax: 202-224-3479 13. Senator Jim Webb (Appropriations Subcommittee) Fax: 202-224-4024 MEMBERS OF INDIA CAUCUS 1. Jim Mcdermott, 1035 Longworth HOB, Washington D.C. 20515. Phone: 202-225-2452 Fax: 202-225-2455 2. Joe Wilson, 212 Cannon House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20515. Phone: 202-225-2452 Fax: 202-225-2455 3. J. Crowley, Phone: 202-225-3965 Besides, India lovers like Palone and others can also provide help. It will be a good idea to send faxes to almost all the above personalities. Even writing a letter to Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post can serve a useful purpose. We need help. Your Friends at VOA, Hindi. http://www.sajaforum.org/2008/08/voa-hindi-servi.html?cid=127425910#comment-1274\25910 (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, Aug 22, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DXLD) VOA Hindi radio will close. "The Voice of America’s (VoA) Hindi service which was launched in 1955 would be shut down with effect from Sept 30, thereby rendering six of its permanent staff in New Delhi jobless. Besides, a large number of VoA listeners would be bereft of its news bulletins to which they were addicted for decades together." Top News (India), 23 August 2008 (via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Actually, VOA Hindi radio broadcasts are slated for closure, but the service continue it television and web presence, for now. Posted: 24 Aug 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Botswana, 6080, Voice of America, 0235-0245+ Aug 28. Noted Senator Biden giving a speech from the Democratic Convention. Signal was poor but frequency is clear so still audible (Chuck Bolland, August 28, 2008, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) This item brings our attention to what VOA is doing in covering the convention(s). I may have missed it while on vacation, but I have not seen any publicity about extra VOA SW transmissions in English to cover the DemoCon live. 6080 normally opens at 0300 in English to CAf, and is Sao Tome, not Botswana. `Prime time` convention coverage on TV anyway is roughly 00- 03 UT, tho it starts at 2115 UT, as you can see gavel-to-gavel on CSPAN. To cover the cons live VOA has to broadcast in English at times it normally does not. Remember when there was English to the Americas in our evenings? Long gone. Who in Africa would be listening before 0300 UT? VOA has a special website http://www.usavotes2008.com/ but is there anything about shortwave on it? Not that I can find. So besides 6080, what are the additional times and frequencies for VOA English during the cons? Maybe Kim Elliott knows? Whatever it is, it better be equal this week and next (Glenn Hauser, UT Aug 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Welcome back. The following site is extremely generic. Certainly not much help for SW. http://www.voanews.com/english/About/2008-08-18-broadcasts-at-democratic-convention.cfm (Ron Howard, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Could be special convention coverage to serve the worldwide US fighters in NE/ME/AF, but more likely the technicians often check their equipment ON AIR too, which happens often here in Europe like WOF, RMP, LAM, BIB, former KAV etc. and connect the transmitter to the available feed. So, it could be a Botswana check during schedule pauses. See the after UT midnight services of VoA En on MW/SW. 73 wb df5sx Local Kuwait 0000 1600 96,9 KWT 1 non-dir Afganistan 0000 0030 100,5 KAB 1 non-dir 1296 KAB 400 non-dir 7555 KWT 250 70 0100 0200 7430 KWT 250 70 9780 IRA 250 352 11705 UDO 250 280 Iraq 0000 0100 1593 KWT 150 350 0100 0130 1593 KWT 150 350 0130 0200 1593 KWT 150 350 not Sun/Mon Asia 0030 0100 1575 BAK 1000 145 9715 UDO 250 166 9780 PHL 250 270 11725 PHL 250 150 15185 PHL 50 285 15205 PHL 50 212 15290 PHL 250 349 15560 UDO 250 154 17820 PHL 250 21 To Caribbean, CeAmerica, NW SoAmerica, NE Brazil 0130 0200 6040 GR 250 174 not Sun/Mon 9820 GR 250 164 not Sun/Mon (via Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DXLD) But, but, VOA is expressly NOT for Americans, abroad or at home. The 0130-0200 broadcast is Spe-cial Eng-lish, not News Now, and some of the others may be too (gh, DXLD) Well, Worldwide English (now dubbed "News Now" although they run that format only during certain hours anymore) is still on 24/7 via satellite and webstream (at times paralleling either Music Mix or English to Africa), only the usage of SW/MW transmitters has been limited and the programming apparently adjusts to this circumstance to some degree, cf. http://www.voanews.com/english/schedule_WorldNewsNow.cfm At http://www.usavotes2008.com/conventions.php they announce that special coverage is on air between 0100 and 0400. I see nowhere a mention of additional shortwave frequencies, but indeed 6080 is not supposed to be on air before 0300, so appears to be added for the special coverage, not necessarily from the same site/transmitter than in use from 0300, unless there is definitely no carrier break. And of course more transmitters could be in use with nobody outside IBB knowing at all. Btw, it seems that ordinary people should better avoid Denver at present: http://community.usavotes2008.com/kickapps/_Security-at-Democratic-Convention/BLOG/94192/45137.html (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) ** U S A [non]. Frequency changes for Voice of America: 0700-1000 NF 17775 TIN 250 kW / 304 deg, ex 17780 in Mandarin 1600-1700 NF 7330 PHT 250 kW / 332 deg, ex 7405 in Tibetan New SW schedule for VOA Radio Aap Ki Dunyaa in Urdu from Sep. 1: 0100-0200 on 7135 IRA 250 kW / 332 deg, ex 0000-0100 on 11755 IRA 11805 UDO 250 kW / 300 deg, ex 0000-0100 on 7135 IRA 1400-1500 on 9510 UDO 250 kW / 296 deg, ex 1300-1400 on 9340 KWT/UDO 11690 KWT 250 kW / 086 deg, ex 1300-1400 on 15790 IRA Frequency changes of Radio Free Asia: 1230-1330 NF 7390*IRA 250 kW / 057 deg, ex 9455 in Burmese 1330-1400 NF 7390*TIN 250 kW / 280 deg, ex 9475 in Burmese 1400-1430 NF 7390*TIN 250 kW / 280 deg, ex 11540 in Burmese 1400-1500 on 5855 Ulan Bator/Mongolia, cancelled in Vietnamese * co-ch Radio Belarus Minsk in Belarussian Some changes of Radio Liberty: GEORGIAN, again back on SW: 0500-0600 on 9725 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg 11960 LAM 100 kW / 088 deg 17770 IRA 250 kW / 322 deg 1130-1145*on 12070 IRA 250 kW / 334 deg 15130 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg 15460 LAM 100 kW / 092 deg 1400-1500 on 13615 LAM 100 kW / 088 deg 15460 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg 1800-1900 on 7370 UDO 250 kW / 308 deg 9370 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg 2000-2045@on 7480 IRA 250 kW / 324 deg 9840 BIB 100 kW / 105 deg * Mon-Fri @ Sat/Sun til 2100 KAZAKH, additional transmissions from Sep. 1: 0100-0200 on 7215 LAM 100 kW / 080 deg 9750 UNID transmitter 1300-1400 on 9465 UNID transmitter 12005 IRA 250 kW / 348 deg MOLDOVAN Mon-Fri, ex Romanian: 0400-0430 on 5955 BIB 100 kW / 105 deg 1600-1630 on 9850 BIB 100 kW / 105 deg 1800-1830 on 9840 BIB 100 kW / 105 deg RUSSIAN, additional from Aug. 9 (ex VOA Russian & Special English): 1300-1400 on 11725 JBR 250 kW / 065 deg 15130 LAM 100 kW / 053 deg 15565 WOF 250 kW / 082 deg 1700-1800 on 5980 BIB 100 kW / 088 deg 5995 LAM 100 kW / 088 deg 9520 JBR 250 kW / 065 deg/LAM 100 kW / 075 deg 11805 LAM 100 kW / 075 deg 1800-1900 on 9520 JBR 250 kW / 065 deg/LAM 100 kW / 075 deg 9820 BIB 100 kW / 063 deg 11755 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg 11805 LAM 100 kW / 075 deg 1900-2000 on 9405 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg, additional freq. RUSSIAN, cancelled transmissions from Aug.9: 0700-0800 on 11700 PHL 250 kW / 021 deg 12005 LAM 100 kW / 055 deg 15535 BIB 100 kW / 065 deg 17730 UDO 250 kW / 030 deg 1000-1200 on 9585 LAM 100 kW / 055 deg 11700 PHL 250 kW / 021 deg 15130 BIB 100 kW / 065 deg 17730 LAM 100 kW / 077 deg (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, August 26, via DXLD) ** U S A. Radio Martí, 11930, splattering again from about 11845 to 12010, and possibly further if I listen very closely. Noted at 2000 check, 24 August. And, at about 2005, the transmitter began going on and off, or transmitting at reduced power with only noise on the fundamental. Greenville has a problem! (Steve Lare, Holland MI, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. WYFR, Harold Camping Open Forum in English, Aug 19 at 1143 on 9550 // 9625 and 9755, interrupted by QSY announcement mentioning continuing frequencies including 7780, which is out of date, that having changed to 7730, also confirmed at this hour. After 1145, 9755 and 9550 were gone but 9625 continued, inaudiblizing CBC NQ. WYFR on 9550 at 1100-1145 this season may be another reason RHC abandoned that frequency for the 19m band, tho I am sure they would never admit that, either. 5970, Aug 19 at 1212 had a SAH and a hymn mixing with REE Costa Rica. That`s Family Radio in Korean via Komsomol`sk/Amure, per Aoki (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Frequency changes of WYFR Family Radio: 0300-0400 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu Russian, ex 7780 0400-0500 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu English, ex 7780 0500-0600 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu German, ex 7780 0600-0700 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu Romanian,ex 7780 RTI German 0700-0800 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 044 deg to WeEu Polish, ex 7780 RTI French 1100-1200 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 222 deg to SoAm English, ex 7780 1200-1400 NF 7730 YFR 100 kW / 222 deg to SoAm Spanish, ex 7780 [non]. Additional transmissions of WYFR Family Radio: 0900-1100 on 9545 TAI 100 kW in Taiwan to EaAs Chinese 1000-1100 on 9455 TAI 100 kW in Taiwan to SEAs Vietnamese 1000-1200 on 6220 TAI 100 kW in Taiwan to SEAs Burmese 1300-1400 on 9895 TAI 100 kW in Taiwan to SEAs Vietnamese 2300-2400 on 9540 TAI 100 kW in Taiwan to EaAs Chinese 1400-1600 on 11860 MSK 250 kW / 117 deg to SoAs English 1800-1900 on 11775 SKN 250 kW / 165 deg to WCAf Hausa, ex English 1800-1900 on 13790 WER 500 kW / 180 deg to WCAf Hausa, ex English 1900-2000 on 9685 DHA 250 kW / 260 deg to WCAf Hausa, ex English 1900-2000 on 11865 NAU 500 kW / 187 deg to WCAf Hausa, ex English 1900-2000 on 3955 MEY 100 kW / 076 deg to SoAf Portuguese, ex English 1900-2000 on 6100 MEY 100 kW / 330 deg to SoAf Portuguese, ex English (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, August 26, via DXLD) ** U S A. Someone reported recently that WTJC had shifted from 9370 to 9365. Possibly, but still on 9370 when I checked Aug 28 at 1344 with Bible reading by Alex Scourby. BTW, I believe I referred to their slogan some time ago as ``Waiting Till Jesus Comes`` but it is really ``Working Till Jesus Comes`` as confirmed on their page http://www.fbnradio.com/new_page.htm which also has some new(?) info about when WTJC and WBOH are not in English; I have added UT conversions: ``WTJC, which stands for "Working Till Jesus Comes." Currently, WTJC is operating 24 hours daily on 9370 kHz. WTJC broadcasts in English except for the following: Chinese programming is aired from 4:30 - 5:00 AM [0830-0900 UT], and Arabic programs can be heard from 11:00 - 11:30 PM local Eastern time [0300-0330 UT]. WBOH broadcasts around the clock on 5920 kHz in English except for two hours of Spanish music and messages which can be heard from 6:05 - 7:00 AM [1005-1100 UT] and 8:00 - 9:00 PM local Eastern time [0000- 0100 UT].`` O my, the above does not match the full program schedules at http://www.fbnradio.com/about_us.htm which still show Russian M-F at 0635-0640 as we really ran across some weeks ago; Spanish at 1005 appears Sunday only and for 15 minutes, not 55; 0030 for 15 minutes too, only on UT Mondays. No Arabic. What are we to believe? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WRNO Worldwide on 7505 at 0100-0130 UT Aug 27. News on the hour, and played Christian music from 0105 to 0130. Did mention on Saturday (Sunday GMT) that they were going to play some New Orleans jazz and some rock during their transmission on Sunday GMT. I was surprised to hear WRNO Worldwide come in with such a good signal since I am approximately 170-180 miles from the Crescent City. Came in with a very strong signal (Richard Lewis, Forest, MS, Grundig G4000A, Helical Antenna (Homebrew), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I appreciate the fact that re-launched WRNO opens its broadcasts on 7505 with world news bulletin. It's a great public service that hopefully will continue (Sergei Sosedkin, IL, ibid.) Haven`t caught that yet. News from what source? Not another slanted Christian network like USA or IRN, I hope. Surely they don`t compile their own newscasts. [later:] Listened to the WRNO 7505 sign-on at 0100 UT Aug 29, and immediately into news read by local announcer. Top story was about Christian schools vs Sharia law in Nigeria; also items re Thailand, South Ossetia, UK terrorist threats, Obama about to accept. Lasted only 3 minutes, the news update by ``John ----``, ``as reported by the BBC``. Hard to believe a real BBC newscast would have led with the Nigeria story, so WRNO apparently picks items from BBC news and slants them for their own ideology. A much greater public service would be to relay real BBCWS news on SW in NAm. Caleb Duncan followed as apparently live DJ starting at 0103, asking for requests by e-mail to wrnoradio@mailup.net and starting with ``Carry On, My Wayward Son`` -- gospel rock, requested by a previous 1980s WRNO listener in Minnesota. Hey, maybe they`ll do more live coverage if Gustav hits New Orleans --- except studio is apparently only in Fort Worth (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Gleaned from Radio-info.com and was posted on August 21st, 2008 --- Hello Everyone! As pointed out in other post, WRNO Worldwide is officially back on the air. I thought I would post this to clear up some of the questions I have read in earlier post. The new licensed frequencies are for WRNO are: 7355, 7505 and 15590. For the time being, 7505 is the only frequency being used. Air time is 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM Central time [0100-0400 UT]. We have received very good reports from listeners on the East Coast, Canada, and some European Countries. As to RF interference complaints from the neighborhood, so far there have been none. RF is at the full 50 kW licensed output and modulation is clean. The transmitter runs cool with current readings at the low end of their maximum ratings. The daytime frequency of 15590 has not been on the air long enough (only testing at this point), to determine how it will get along with the neighborhood but testing results were good. As time goes on, Air Time will be increased as will the daytime frequency of 15590 (Larry Thom, Chief Engineer WRNO http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,103965.30.html via Richard Lewis, MS, Aug 25, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. QSO WITH TED RANDALL: Glenn: This is temporary, but till further notice. From Ted's website: Sunday WRMI Radio Miami International on 9955 from 2 to 4 pm Eastern (1-3 pm Central Time) 1800-2000 UT, Target area the Caribbean and South America (Jeff White, WRMI, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WBCQ: That's the second week in a row that "Off The Hook" has not been aired. I wonder if that program is relayed on SW as a freebie from Allan, and isn't paid-for time? If so, I cannot blame him for not paying the enormous electric bill for that hour's worth of transmitter time. Note that there also was no "Allan Weiner Worldwide" on Friday night (UT Saturday) and no Jennifer-hosted music program before it either. Probably too expensive to indulge oneself in personal programs any longer. We need to be thankful if he airs World of Radio! 73, (Will Martin, MO, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Will, actually Allan Weiner Worldwide was on last Friday. But someone from (south?) Indiana called in and reported a very poor reception. He said he was forced to listen to WBCQ online. In his live broadcast Allan confirmed that WBCQ is turning its 7415 transmitter off every Tue. and Wed. 2100 to 2400 UT, as a saving measure. He also mentioned that Off The Hook is gone. I think he said that they couldn't pay for airtime anymore. According to Allan, many programmers are struggling due to the economic crisis. The electric bill at WBCQ keeps growing and Allan is worried about the coming winter. He said that financially WBCQ is still doing OK and the saving measures are needed to keep it this way. Allan presented his project for a daily 2-hour broadcasts of Area 51, a "free-form entertainment" programming, on 5110 kHz. An estimated monthly electric bill for that is $1,000. Allan is willing to underwrite a half of that if some benefactor or benefactors cover the rest. On-air sponsorship announcements can be provided in exchange for non-tax deductible donations. Currently, Area 51 is on the air every Sun. 2300-0100 UT on 5110. I can confirm that last Thu. WBCQ run the World of Radio on 7415 at 2330 UT (Sergei Sosedkin, IL, Aug 24, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5109.8, WBCQ Monticello ME (presumed); 8/24-25, 2353-2403+; Totally weird "music" & collage of weird bits. Pirate Sycko Radio was reported on earlier. SIO=453, tinny audio (Harold Frodge, MI, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Hi Glenn, Good news. Area 51 returns all seven days from 7-9 pm eastern on 5110. Larry Will is sponsoring the first month charges to make it happen. I am sure he will have WOR programed in during the week. Also, sorry but have to cancel WOR Sunday Mornings 12:15-12:45 am Eastern. [means 0415 UT Mondays] All other times remain (Allan Weiner, WBCQ, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) AREA 51 EXPANDS TO DAILY SERVICE --- August 24, 2008 – 10:51 pm We are pleased to announce that effective Sunday, August 24, 2008, Area 51 is returning to WBCQ 5110 with a daily broadcast from 7 to 9 pm (2300 to 0100 UT). The first month of Area 51's return has been sponsored by Larry and Jane Will, a.k.a. cosmikdebris and Jane from the Lumpy Gravy Radio Show. We will post a detailed schedule in the forums shortly. Stay tuned as we give the airwaves back to the free radio community! (Larry Will, wbcq.com WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Glenn, I hope you had a nice break. There is no fixed time yet for WOR on Area 51. We're working on a schedule for regularly appearing shows this week and hope to have it finished by Labor Day. I plan to make sure that WOR has at least one weekly airing. As Allan has compressed the 7415 schedule further, I need to get the online schedule updated soon and will advise you and the yahoogroup when this is done. Regards, Lw (Larry Will, Aug 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WBCQ 15420 started the new WORLD OF RADIO 1423 at 2100 UT Wednesday Aug 27, fed by phone, and I was monitoring it off the air when the signal vanished at 2104 and never came back by 2130. I then called the operator back and he said he had just then turned off the transmitter after the show was completed. A mystery. Allan Weiner tells me that the UT Mon 0415 broadcast of WOR on 7415 has been cancelled, apparently as broadcast time is being trimmed to save electricity costs. However, the revived Area 51 show on 5110, daily 2300-0100 is to add at least one airing of WOR, time to be determined. Previously it was on the Friday evening broadcasts. The other WOR time on WBCQ is to be continued, Thu 2330 on 7415 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. TOM KNEITEL --- A moment of silence please in memory of a great contributor to the radio hobbies. His best line ever was in response to a query from a reader who wanted to know when the ARRL was founded. He responsed that he did not know it was losted. And let us not forget his DX sessions with a Ouija Board -- did he ever get a QSL from the great beyond? I had the opportunity to interview Tom on WWCR circa 1991. It was a thrill to be able to speak to him. I'll have to find out what Ouija band he frequents now. A sked perhaps? 73 Tom de (Dan K2DLS Srebnick, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Passed along from Edith Lennon, Editor of Popular Communications: Subject: Tommy Kneitel Hello All, I have sad news to pass along -- Tommy Kneitel passed away on Friday. He had been gravely ill for well over a year and in hospice. It had looked like his death was imminent from about July of last year (he's been in a coma), but there was something extraordinarily strong in his constitution. I know many of you have worked with him, certainly read him, maybe since the beginning of the magazine. Pop'Comm obviously wouldn't exist had it not been for him. Each editor since him was really just carrying on something that he created. Here's a link to the obituary from the Orlando Sentinel http://www.orlandosentinel.com/community/news/deland/orl-sundead2408aug24,0,813189.story If anyone would like to pass along any thoughts about him we can post those to the website. Thank you. Edith (via Dan Srebnick, WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DXLD) Viz.: LIFELONG RADIO BUFF TOM KNEITEL TURNED HIS HOBBY INTO HIS CAREER Leslie Postal | Sentinel Staff Writer August 24, 2008 Tom Kneitel, who loved radios from the time he was a kid, turned his hobby into a career, writing magazine articles and books for other radio buffs. Known by his CB handle "Tomcat," Kneitel was a storied figure in the world of CBs, short-waves and scanners. His 1992 book Tune in on Telephone Calls -- which told readers how to use inexpensive equipment to join the "popular pastime" of listening in on other people's cell-phone calls -- earned him interviews by The New York Times and The Boston Globe. Kneitel, 75, died Friday. The DeLand man had been ill for more than a year, with a variety of health problems, said Judy Kneitel, his wife of 54 years. He began writing about radio in the 1950s. "My goodness, I'm having fun and they're paying me," he told his wife. His last job had been as editor of Popular Communications magazine, but he had also written for CB Horizons magazine, S9 magazine, Popular Electronics and TV Guide. He also wrote a number of other books. Born in New York City, Kneitel spent part of his childhood in Florida. He was the grandson of Max Fleischer, the cartoonist who had a Miami animation studio that created Betty Boop and Popeye cartoons. His family moved back to New York when he was a teenager, and Kneitel spent most of his life there. In 2004, the Kneitels retired to DeLand. He was a funny man but also a workaholic who would "be at the typewriter 18 hours a day," Judy Kneitel said. "He never missed a deadline. He enjoyed writing." Even as he was entering a hospice last year, "he turned out three more articles," she said. Most of his columns contained humor, plays on words and strong opinions. A Pennsylvania newsletter for radio buffs last year reprinted this retort by Kneitel, who'd been taken to task for his criticism of an old organization: "I don't care when it was founded, I just want to know when it will be losted." Kneitel got his first radio from relatives after he contracted polio when he was 14 -- and was hooked. Though he recovered from the disease, he always walked with a limp, his wife said, and about 15 years ago "post-polio syndrome" landed him in a wheelchair. He'd been suffering from heart disease and diabetes, among other problems, too. In addition to his wife, Kneitel is survived by seven of his eight children and by 10 grandchildren. The family plans a private memorial service (via Harold Sellers, odxa yg via DXLD) see also SWAN ISLAND Prolific Author Tom Kneitel, W4XAA SK Tom Kneitel, W4XAA, better known to hams by his previous call sign K2AES, died August 22 at age 75. He lived in DeLand, Florida, where he and his wife Judy had moved in 2004. At the time of his death, he was editor emeritus of Popular Communications. Aside from serving as editor of Popular Communications, he had written for CB Horizons, S9 and Popular Electronics, and was the author of a number of radio hobbyist books on such subjects as scanning, CB radio and building electronics projects. Dick Ross, K2MGA, publisher of CQ Magazine, who had worked with Kneitel on a number of publishing projects since 1961, told the ARRL he was "one of the most creative people I've known in my life….He came up with the name S9 and created the whole editorial package." Ross added: "His contributions were enormous. He kind of defined the personal communications hobby -- he brought together the whole range of disparate subcultures if you will -- it's all hobby radio. He was the one who brought them together. He saw the fun in the whole thing. He had a way of giving you a chuckle -- he had an enormous sense of humor. He was a terrific, terrific person." Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1933, Kneitel first started writing about the radio hobby in the 1950s, and continued writing until recently. He was a 2004 inductee into the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame. He was the grandson of cartoon pioneer Max Fleischer, whose studio created the Popeye and Betty Boop cartoons. Kneitel was predeceased by a son. Survivors include his wife, two sons, four daughters, a sister and 10 grandchildren. A private memorial service is planned. -- some information from OrlandoSentinel.com (from ARRL website via Al Quaglieri, DXLD) I am very sad to read this today. I also was at least partially raised on Tom's EI writings, and later got to know him over the phone, as he graciously participated in several of our "DX Specials", on the old ABC Talkradio Ray Briem Show, along with Glenn Hauser, George Jacobs, Ian McFarland and other DX-notables. I produced Ray's show for almost 12 years, and my off-air chats with Tom are among my fondest memories of all. What struck me as interesting was the fact that he was almost shy on the air (but always interesting), which served to belie his writing style. And am I the only one who remembers Tom's 1968 trip to Swan Island, where he broke open the CIA's secrets about Radio Américas once and for all? (Nightly Spanish to Fidel's crowd, 1157 & 6000 kHz). R I P old pal (GREG HARDISON, CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tom and I traded a few pointed letters in the late '80's after I wrote to him and questioned his use of the term "splinter group" or something similar in connection with a well-known DX club (not the NRC) that survives today. His letters were always genuine and never boiler copy as you might expect from someone as busy as he was. I'm sorry to see him go (Paul Swearingen, Topeka, NRC-AM via DXLD) Tommy was very unpopular among some in the SWL/DXing community, especially those who fancied themselves as being hobby leaders and luminaries, because he refused to take them as seriously as they took themselves. A letter to Tom complaining about something he wrote about them in the pages of Popular Communications (or, before PopComm, in S9 or Electronics Illustrated) would often get a reply from Tom in which he would tell them to, in his immortal words, "go hump a hippo." He never forgot that DXing is nothing more than an enjoyable but silly hobby, and refused to elevate it to the status of Great Undertaking. That was a stance guaranteed to enrage some DXers back in the oh-so- serious 1960s and 1970s. Tom was highly opinionated, not especially concerned about being loved, and not the easiest editor I've ever worked with. We often butted heads during the decade or so I wrote columns for PopComm under his editorship. But he was never dull, and when I received a phone call or letter from him there was always a rush of anticipation bordering on apprehension: "Oh my god, what does Tommy want now??" Tommy had a sarcastic, irreverent writing style, especially for his "Uncle Tom's Corner" in the old Electronics Illustrated magazine. I confess I copied a lot of his technique and incorporated it into my own articles and books on DXing and hobby radio. As a teenager growing up in New York City, Tommy operated an AM pirate station known as "WISP." During a DX test in 1949, he received reception reports as far away as Ohio. Later he became the first, and only, journalist to visit Swan Island and Radio Americas, and his article about the journey appeared in the July, 1968 issue of Electronics Illustrated. The article hit newsstands at almost exactly the same time Radio Americas left the air! In the 1980s, I filed several Freedom of Information Act requests with various government agencies to see if the U.S. government was keeping tabs on the DX hobby and DXers. I got one memo from the FBI that had been sent to FBI associate director Clyde Tolson (with a copy sent to J. Edgar Hoover) as a result of one of Kneitel's articles in Electronics Illustrated which gave several shortwave frequencies used by the FBI. The memo sternly warned that all FBI personnel should beware of Kneitel because he had shown he would publicize any contacts with the FBI and reveal information. I sent a copy of the memo to Tommy. Instead of being intimidated, he told me he was so delighted and "honored" that he was going to frame the memo and display it on the wall of his office! Tommy cranked out many articles under pseudonyms. Many people know he was "Alice Brannigan," the prolific radio history writer, but he also was "Harry Kaul," the author of several electronics eavesdropping articles. In a world filled with the walking dead, Tommy was a very live one. I will really miss him (Harry Helms W5HLH Corpus Christi, TX EL17 http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ Aug 24 ABDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DXLD) OBIT "I must say, up to a few minutes ago, I thought Alice Brannigan was this super cool radio chick. So did my brothers. Back in the 80s/early 90s I snapped up PopComm like no tomorrow. " I seem to recall that at one time or another both PopComm and S-9 had run pics of "Alice Brannigan"; one for sure was a PopComm cover. So who was the stand-in? Anyway I wanted to throw in my 2 cents worth that I, too, am very sorry to see the passing of Uncle Tom. I always loved his smart-ass but radio-savvy style of writing. His style reminded me a little of civil libertarian columnist Donald Kaul. The editorials in PopComm have never been as riveting as they were when he was at the helm (Rick Barton, AZ, ABDX via DXLD) They had a pic of a blonde headed blue eyed girl who was pretty much a looker. I know for sure that wasn't Tom Kneitel (Kevin Redding, TN, ibid.) Does anyone remember "Kathi Martin," the glamazon of Elementary Electronics and Communications World magazines in the 1975-80 period?? The magazine was edited by Julian Martin. . . . . . . and Kathi was his daughter. If you think that maybe something similar was going on with photos of "Alice Brannigan," congratulate yourself on your perspicacity. Of course, Julian Martin wasn't really "Julian Martin" either, but that's another story for another time! (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, ibid.) ** U S A. 1100 kHz, WZFG, MN, Dillworth, 08/08 0800 [CDT] Testing on air with loop announcing the talk shows they would have. Started regular transmissions by the Aug 10 Now on full time. NEW. 73 and Best of DX (Shawn Axelrod, VE4DX1SMA, odxayg via WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DXLD) 1100, WZFG, MN, Dilworth [sic], 8-27 0522, VP-P "on Eagle 106.9" (KEGK), Fergus Falls ads under WTAM. Paul & Shelly show, Too Tall Tom weather, "and AM 1100 the Flag" at :29. NEW! Two new logs in last few days. Even here, some IBOC is hurting some frequencies. Kinda sad when microwaving coffee to hit number of seconds in correlation to radio frequencies: "55" being "Big55-KFYR" or 89 seconds being "Big89-WLS" in the old Top40 days. I must be getting old, hi. Location: L'Anse, MI [CDT], Sony ICF-SW7600GR stock. 73-Good DX to all! (John J. Rieger, South Milwaukee WI, http://DX-midAMerica.com 24/7 NSP! We never close! amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) ** U S A. 1680, WPRR, MI, Ada, 08/26 0653 EDT. Good signals with a loop announcing that WPRR Public Reality Radio is coming in September. No format given for what they will carry. New call sign and format. Not Disney anymore. NEW. 73 and Best of DX (Shawn Axelrod, VE4DX1SMA, Winnipeg MB, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. 4941, 2325-2335 11.08, R. Amazonas, Puerto Ayacucho (presumed) Spanish talk - very much distorted, 25241 (ANKER PETERSEN, SKOVLUNDE, DINAMARCA, AOR AR7030PLUS, LONGWIRE 28 METROS, @tividade DX via DXLD) 4940, Radio Amazonas, Puerto Ayacucho, 2320-2330, Aug 22, Presumed with a very distorted signal. Fair level but not possible to catch any program details due to distortion (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. RNV via CUBA, 6060, Aug 19 at 1137 as I tuned across had the English YL with always too-literal translation of Spanish script, this about Cinemateca Nacional, with long list of movie titles in Spanish + translations, film festivals (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CUBA, 11680, 1511- Aug 25, Radio Nacional Venezuela. Poor choice of frequency due to cochannel Voice of Turkey. On my Wellbrook array, Venezuela (via Cuba) dominates. English segment briefly, but back into Spanish at 1513. On my other antennae, Turkey is dominant. Otherwise good reception (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. GREAT BRITAIN, 12035, 1737- Aug 22, SWR Africa. Good reception in English about, what else, getting rid of Robert Mugabe. 500 kW I think, via Rampisham, UK. GREAT BRITAIN, 12035, 1700- Aug 25, SWR Africa. VORWS IS until TOH, and then off, replaced by SWR Africa in English with local and international news. Good reception (Walt Salmaniw, Masset, Queen Charlotte Is., BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. Updated schedule for Voice of People in English via Madagascar: 0400-0457 NF 9895 MDC 250 kW / 255 deg, ex 11610 MDC 250 kW / 265 deg 1100-1157 on 11695 MDC 250 kW / 265 deg, cancelled from Aug.2 1700-1757 on 7120 MDC 050 kW / 265 deg, strong co-ch R Rossii Russian (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, August 26, via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 8-093, 3291.2 until 1200: Hi Glenn, Yes, very late but band was surprisingly still open. Remember how close Pompano Beach is to the Atlantic. Conditions are very odd here. No sign of the station tonight, 3291.12 was final drift this morning. Found this in your files: DX LISTENING DIGEST 7-097, August 15, 2007 GUYANA. 3291.13, "Voice of Guyana" GBC Sparendaam last heard in mid July 0100 UT with weak audio. Silent since then (Bob Wilkner, FL, WORLD OF RADIO 1422, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. A las 0625 UT pude escuchar en la frecuencia de los 5800 Khz en am una señal de telegrafía muy fuerte, la señal era local; probé a escucharlas en lsb y usb y el resultado era que la señal casi se perdía. He colocado la señal para decodificarla con el Multipsk y lo unico que mas o menos tiene sentido de lo que se decodifca es al final que aparece: WAGIN WAGIN WAGIN, puse esta palabra en goole y me ha llevado hasta lo que creo es un pueblo de Australia. ¿pregunto ahora, hay alguna expedición dx por esos lados haciendo pruebas o algun evento de radioaficionados de Australia? Espero comentarios. La verdad fue que me entusiasmé con la escucha anterior y seguí un rato mas buscando algo en la frecuencia y me encontré con una emisora espía de números con una señal muy buena; esto fue en la frecuencia 5883 kHz en AM, esta escucha fue realizada a las 0725 UT. Según diexistas estudiosos de la materia estas señales pueden proceder de Cuba, la cual envía mensajes en clave a sus agentes en América. Otra cosa, a pesar de los avances tecnológicos, muchos se preguntan todavía porqué utilizar este tipo de emisiones, y la respuesta es la siguiente: las señales de onda corta llegan a los sitios mas apartados donde ninguna tecnología moderna ha entrado todavía. Aqui les anexo los audios ecuchados esperando que sean de interés para todos. Un abrazo para todos (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Apartado Postal 488, Código Postal 6001-A, Barcelona, Venezuela. http://sintoniadx.spaces.live.com/ Noticiasdx yg via DXLD) Números cortados, i.e. los diez dígitos reemplazados por diez letras, que más convienen por enviar y copiar. No encontrará más de las mismas diez letras en el mensaje entero. Por cierto corresponde a los `espía- números` procedentes de Cuba. Captado también muy fuerte en Oclajoma y a veces muy amplio hasta más y menos 25 kHz de los 5800. Y además 5883 y otras en la región. Cut numbers, i.e. the ten digits replaced by ten letters for convenience of sending and copying. You will find no more than the same 10 letters ever used in the body of the message. Surely a variation of Cuban spy numbers, and also extremely strong here, at times spreading out +/- 25 kHz as I recently reported; also heard on 5883 and other frequencies in the area (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Tuned across 6185 this morning, August 21, at 1002 UT and found a weak, fady signal with a repeating loop announcement by man in Spanish over a jazzy musical background. Announcement seemed to be "Radio Libertad/Comunidad/Verdad [couldn't identify it positively] presenta un programa político libre" [unsure about last word]. Announcement repeated about every 30 seconds; low modulation, noisy conditions, and much slop from Cuba on 6180 so I'm not 100% certain of the announcement wording. I was using my image-prone Eton E5 receiver, so this might be a spurious signal although checks 2xIF revealed nothing. Signal faded as I listened and was barely in there when I had to discontinue listening at 1023 UTC because my wife had a 7:00 am dental appointment today. Thinking this might be Mexico's XEPPM, I checked the Radio Educación web site but they list their SW schedule (as of June 2008) as being only from 2300-0500 UTC. Checked recent DXLD editions at Glenn's web site and I'm still stumped --- help!! (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17 http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Was not aware XEPPM was no longer running until 1100v; 0500-0600 too much adjacent QRM, but will try to check after that when possible; others? Does not seem like their kind of programming (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 9610 English number station --- Most probably from Eastern Europe I noted a number station on 9610.00 kHz USB mode, S=3 (of S=9 scale) strength, came across at 0948 UT, transmission was still in progress. Ended with final word "out" at 09.52:40 close-down and transmitter off. Tue Aug 26th. Listen to the recording. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISITENING DIGEST) Anything on Enigma list about this? The pronunciation should be recognisable. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.) http://www.spynumbers.com/numbersDB/dbSearch.php3 shows E11 http://www.angelfire.com/ak5/thearchivee/183Oblique.mp3 selected by '9610' search in database. 70435 2006-05-02 Tue 1030 0000 9610.0 AM E11 hfd Southwestern Germany 312/00 72423 2006-08-10 Thu 1610 0000 9610.0 AM S6 hfd Southwestern Germany 425-837/6=01928 73426 2006-09-06 Wed 1100 0000 9610.0 AM E11 hfd Southwestern Germany 186/00 75635 2006-11-01 Wed 0900 0000 9610.0 AM S11A hfd Southwestern Germany 215/00 76293 2005-05-17 Tue 1030 0000 9610.0 USB E11 Anonymous Europe Oblique 312 oblique 00 76326 2005-05-24 Tue 1030 0000 9610.0 USB E11 Anonymous Europe Oblique 312 oblique 00 76393 2005-07-05 Tue 1030 0000 9610.0 USB E11 Anonymous Europe Oblique 312 oblique 00 76448 2005-08-16 Tue 1032 0000 9610.0 USB E11 Anonymous Europe Oblique 312 oblique 00 76531 2005-10-12 Wed 1100 0000 9610.0 USB E11 Anonymous Europe Oblique 76564 2005-10-26 Wed 1100 0000 9610.0 USB E11 Anonymous Europe Oblique 186 oblique 00 76921 2006-03-01 Wed 1100 0000 9610.0 USB E11 Anonymous Europe Oblique 186/00 77065 2006-05-05 Fri 1030 0000 9610.0 USB E11 Anonymous Europe Oblique 312/00 77221 2006-07-19 Wed 1030 0000 9610.0 USB E11 Anonymous Europe Oblique 312/00 77401 2006-11-15 Wed 0900 0000 9610.0 USB S11a Anonymous Europe Cherta 214/00 78363 2007-01-10 Wed 0009 0000 9610.0 LSB S11a Poacher Russia S11a Cherta for "217/37" message with "77777 77777" 79911 2007-02-07 Wed 0900 0905 9610.0 USB S11a Poacher Russia "Cherta" for "214/00" no message. Very good signal. 80264 2007-02-14 Wed 0900 0905 9610.0 USB S11a Poacher Russia "Cherta" for "214/00" no message. 80477 2007-02-21 Wed 0900 0912 9610.0 USB S11a Poacher Russia "Cherta" for "211/33" with message (33 groups). 80805 2007-02-28 Wed 0900 0905 9610.0 USB S11a Poacher Russia "Cherta" for "214/00" no message. Very strong signal; S9! 82036 2007-04-04 Wed 1100 0000 9610.0 AM E11 hfd Southwestern Germany 186/00 (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also has been heard on 4840: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LCTT_S7ZlNg I have the Conet CD's and original booklet which says: E11: Rumoured to be Polish Intel (via reliable intelligence source) possibly operated by a group of countries. The entire set and booklet available for free download at: http://irdial.hyperreal.org/ E11 is disc 3, track 10, when you click the CD3 link it's the first one listed as tcp_d3_10_oblique_irdial.mp3 Also for download at: http://www.archive.org/details/ird059 (Mike Barraclough, ibid.) Yes Wolfie, that's what we cal the Oblique number station according to Simon Mason http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/page137.htm It's from Poland. U'll never know but a bunch of recordings and info about that station is over there. I used to pick it on daily basis via dxtuners.com \ globaltuners.com at the moment. The funny thing is when she's having a message in English and the goes ZERO ZERO, I noticed that she's pronouncing it like a Spanish accent theroo, theroo. If you get what I mean. I think Glenn would catch that Spanish way of saying zero. so I really wonder where is that lady coming from originally ;) lately I have been following what we call E25, coming from my home if u know what I mean. The funny thing is they keep on playing Chris de Burg before the beginning of some of the messages now. I wonder why. They used to start with the legendary Egyptian lady singer Om Kalhoum. Check out the blog of my Greek friend and U'd be amazed for a few moments ;) http://hfsurfing.blogspot.com/ Anyway it's about 5.00 A.M in here and I can't sleep, sleepless in Denmark :) missing my radio. Anyway guys, wishing U all wherever U R a lovely day. And all the best, yours (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, Aalborg DK at the moment, ibid.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ VARACTOR-TUNED LOOP ANTENNAS I finally completed the work that I have been doing on a simple varactor-tuned loop antenna with interchangeable antenna elements. The documentation is available at: http://tinyurl.com/6lht4y A little more work needs to be done here as the inductance of the transformers is limiting the high end of the tuning range. However, the results obtained at this point show that the sensitivity is far better than I had anticipated, and together with the very good S/N performance this design rivals the performance my earlier active loop antenna that was published in QEX back in 2003. Corrections and constructive comments are always appreciated (Chris Trask / N7ZWY, Principal Engineer, Sonoran Radio Research, P.O. Box 25240, Tempe, Arizona 85285-5240, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ LATEST DRM CAPABLE RECEIVERS AND DRM+ DEVELOPMENTS ON DISPLAY AT IFA 2008 Berlin, Germany - The DRM Consortium introduces its most recent advancement at IFA in Berlin, one of the key events for the global consumer electronics industry. This year the DRM Consortium will be showing the latest DRM capable receivers at the Digital Radio Stand, Hall 2.2, booth 107. DRM+ will be featured in the Science and Technology Forum (TWF), at the Fraunhofer IIS stand, in Hall 5.3, booth 15. There are currently more than 700 hours per day of programming broadcast in FM-like quality around the world using the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) digital radio system. It offers listeners the possibility of receiving exciting and exclusive radio content from the world´s leading broadcasters without connecting to the internet. The DRM digital radio system operates on the long, medium and short wave bands but has recently been extended to the broadcasting bands below 120 MHz for the digitalisation of the FM band. This extension of the DRM standard is called DRM+. During IFA, the DRM Consortium in association with 004 GmbH, eCommence service providers and official supporters of DRM, will showcase the following receivers on the Digital Radio Stand, Hall 2.2, booth 107: - the Himalaya DRM2009, a DRM and DAB capable receiver. Additionally, two DRM receiver prototypes (DRM2008 and DRM2012), each based on its own unique hardware architecture, will be on display. - Morphy Richards' receiver supports DAB/DRM/AM/FM with MP3/WAV playback. It is a portable, AC/DC, digital multi-band receiver with scheduled recordings and EPG for DAB. - Starwaves' Car Box is a DRM / DAB digital radio converter box for vehicles and boats and can also receive analogue short, medium long wave and FM broadcast. - TechniSat´s MultyRadio can receive analogue FM, long-, medium and shortwave as well as DAB and DRM transmissions. The device is equipped with high quality stereo-bass reflex loudspeakers and an SD card reader. - Sarapulsky Radiozavod showcases an automobile digital radio receiver suitable for AM, FM, DRM. Text information as well as USB port and a record option are integrated in this receiver. - Analog Devices will present its Digital Desktop Audio Developer's Kit. The Digital Desktop Audio system is a digital radio and an audio player based on the Blackfin Processor. As a digital radio, the unit performs as an internet radio and a DRM radio. The results of recent DRM+ field tests from Germany will be presented publicly during IFA session entitled "Talk im TWF" on Tuesday, September 02, from 11:00 am to 1pm. Expert speakers from the DRM Consortium and the German DRM Forum will contribute to the session which takes place in TWF Halle 5.3. Detlef Pagel, Chairman of the German DRM Forum, expressed his confidence in the success of DRM + worldwide: "DRM+ is more than the digitalisation of the FM band, DRM+ leads to a highly efficient usage of spectrum and allows for more station to launch on-air with low-cost energy consumption. For listeners, DRM+, like DRM, offers an undisturbed mobile reception and digital quality sound and a wealth of optional featuresincluding DRM surround sound and data and text services such as Journaline". For Immediate Release: Aug, 27, 2008 Contact: Fanny Podworny, DRM, pressoffice @ drm.org Telephone number: +44 20 75 57 32 71 (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, Aug 27, dxldyg via DXLD) And nowhere on that list do you find receivers from Sony, Grundig, Sangean, or other major companies. When such major companies get on board, I'll take DRM seriously. Until them, I'm a skeptic (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ ibid.) RDS TRAF SYMBOL AND RDS STRENGTH I'm noticing something with RDS lately --- Many of the stations that have the TRAF symbol have very weak RDS displays that get out barely at all. My local WHTS on 105.3 changed their RDS yesterday to show the traffic symbol. And upon doing that, I can no longer receive much of anything from their RDS except a message symbol that always has a blank message, and a one-second flash here and there of their new text "105.3 HOT - FM." Their full RDS signal used to get out a good 50 miles or so. I live 10 miles from their transmitter. All I'm seeing is the program type and TRAF now. Caught the display a few times on my drive back and forth to work --- but that's it, and only for a brief moment. Many of the other area stations that use the traffic symbol have similar issues. I'm always getting the TRAF symbol on WMIL and WRIT but little else even when everyone else has RDS in. And closer to home, WTRV is the same deal. Its TRAF symbol gets out about 40 miles but the rest of the RDS gets out maybe 10 or 15. The stations that don't use the TRAF symbol... no problems at all, even on long distances. There are exceptions to this (like WKKV)... but generally I seem to notice that. Am I alone on this, or am I the only one who actually pays attention to such tiny matters :)? (Chris Kadlec, Fremont, Mich., Aug 27, WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ LIGHTNING SCATTER ON FM I got a new logging on FM this morning, but I'm not sure of the mode. We had some thunderstorms pop up early in the morning, with plenty of lightning. I had been hearing WBBA 97.5 Pittsfield IL (289 mi) at home, along with a suspected 99.1 St. Louis w/classical, and I figured all of that would disappear with the storms' arrival. Well, I left for work and on the drive in the radio dial was still full of Springfield and Columbia MO even during a huge downpour and vivid lightning display, so much so I waited it out in the car and tuned the dial until the storms subsided a bit. I got to 99.1 and noticed with every lightning strike a signal would pop in --- we were getting flashes every 5 seconds or so, such that 99.1 sounded like a meteor storm. Suddenly, a lightning strike was followed by " --- it's sunny and 11 degrees at 99-1 Groove FM..." and into KT Tunstall before fading. The burst lasted maybe 5 seconds. A check of the web revealed this slogan is CJGV Winnipeg, MB, and the song was played at the exact minute listed on their page. Admittedly I've done very little lightning scatter DX; obviously most of us unplug our antennas when electrical storms approach. But I had no choice this morning-and now I'm wondering if this was a fortuitous meteor or was it possibly lightning scatter? But the lightning scatter possibility brings forth some thoughts and questions: 1. How do signals propagate right under the ionization of lightning strikes, rather than the old 'midpoint' theory of ionization for skip? The lightning isn't propagating upwards to the E-layer, so is the rapid heating at a lower level producing the same effect? I checked the radar and storms were to my northeast as well, but definitely not in a direct line between me and Winnipeg, so I'm assuming local bolts would be the culprit. After the storms moved south the frequency was empty again. So apparently lightning scatter is very limited in scope to just under the storm-assuming the quantity of lightning in the storm remained a constant as it moved away. 2. I heard enough blips of signal on 99.1 this morning, and the programs were varied enough from what I heard, that apparently lightning scatter has a lot more power to bring varied signals than just enhance a nearby signal to listenable levels. But then again tropo was up, so there were potentially more signals to propagate. 3. I can't recall reading anything about the potential distance of lightning scatter, but ~600 miles seems a bit far to me. Now granted if CJGV was being ducted, perhaps even in an elevated fashion, what I heard makes more sense --- but the main axis of propagation was to my east-southeast, not due north. 4. Most of the lightning was cloud to cloud, with very few cloud to ground strikes. I wonder if the orientation of the lightning strike has a bigger impact on when signals propagate --- that is, a purely horizontal bolt can ionize more of the atmosphere at higher levels above ground than a vertical cloud to ground strike. You'd think as a meteorologist I'd have some clue about this, but I really don't; I've never experimented seriously with lightning scatter. I may have to more often now!! Any thoughts or experiences out there on the subject? (Matthew C. Sittel, Bellevue, NE http://www.mcsittel.com/ Aug 27, WTFDA via DXLD) :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2008 Aug 26 2252 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2008 Aug 26 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2008 Aug 27 66 5 2 2008 Aug 28 66 5 2 2008 Aug 29 66 5 2 2008 Aug 30 66 5 2 2008 Aug 31 66 5 2 2008 Sep 01 66 5 2 2008 Sep 02 66 5 2 2008 Sep 03 66 5 2 2008 Sep 04 66 5 2 2008 Sep 05 66 18 4 2008 Sep 06 66 12 3 2008 Sep 07 66 8 3 2008 Sep 08 66 5 2 2008 Sep 09 66 5 2 2008 Sep 10 66 5 2 2008 Sep 11 66 5 2 2008 Sep 12 66 8 3 2008 Sep 13 66 8 3 2008 Sep 14 66 20 5 2008 Sep 15 66 10 3 2008 Sep 16 66 8 3 2008 Sep 17 66 5 2 2008 Sep 18 66 5 2 2008 Sep 19 66 5 2 2008 Sep 20 66 5 2 2008 Sep 21 66 5 2 2008 Sep 22 66 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1423, DXLD) ###